BE OUR G - The Tradition of Christmas Cookies

BE OUR G

UEST

We are well into the Christmas season, for which I am grateful. I love Christmas and everything about it: the music, shopping, church services, Santa Claus, and the exceptional food, especially the cookies and candies my wife, Linda, enjoys making. From Thanksgiving until Christmas, our kitchen is filled with the aroma of Christmas baking.

Cookies are a popular Christmas food. They come in all shapes and flavors. In our house, we have the traditional sugar cutout cookies, gingerbread men, spritz cookies, and various others too numerous to mention.

The tradition of making special cookies at Christmas goes back many years. According to history.com, cookie baking was associated with the winter solstice centuries ago. Groups of people from all parts of the world would celebrate the changing seasons. This was especially true with winter and the winter solstice. By the Middle Ages, many of the ancient traditions were integrated with the new Christmas celebrations.

During the Middle Ages, the spices and other ingredients used to make cookies were costly, so cookies were special and were made only for the most important holidays. Also, unlike pies and cakes, cookies were small and could easily be shared with others as small gifts. Interestingly, the cookies made today use the same spices and ingredients used by cooks dating back to the Middle Ages. Although gingerbread cookies were prevalent during the Middle Ages, the bakers did not make gingerbread men. Queen Elizabeth 1 of England began this practice. She had cookies molded into the shapes of her favorite courtiers.

My wife enjoys making gingerbread men. Several years ago, I bought her a rather large gingerbread mold, and I occasionally decorate at least one of these creations. But of all the beautiful and tasty cookies we have in our home at Christmas, my favorite is the traditional white sugar cookie shaped like bells, trees, stars, and snowmen. They are tasty, very colorful, and very nostalgic for me.

Adding frosting to cookies began in the 1600s. Bakers used a mixture of egg whites and sugar to top the cookies. This topping looked so much like ice that the term icing was used. Many buttercream mixtures top the cookies today, and the term frosting is used.

Putting out Christmas cookies for Santa Claus began in the 1930s during the Great Depression. At that time, families were experiencing widespread scarcity, so parents had their children put out the cookies to show thankfulness for what they were to receive as gifts.

I hope each of you has a very Merry Christmas and you will be able to enjoy the wonderful tradition of eating delicious homemade Christmas cookies.

KEN ANDERSON “THE MAYBERRY GURU”

BY