Ah, the holidays.
You know, it’s stressful. And crazy. And hectic.
And wonderful. And marvelous. And lovely.
Part of that wonderful stress is maintaining (and inventing?) Tradition.
Like baking cookies.
Listen, anyone who says that baking with small children is a great experience of happiness and love HAS CLEARLY NEVER BAKED WITH SMALL CHILDREN.
It’s kinda one of those things that are mostly stressful while they are happening, but somehow evoke lovely, warm memories when you think back to them.
Like having a baby. And I mean, the labor part. I always think back to it as if it’s the awesome experience…and it was…but not so much while it was happening.
You know?
But the baking must happen.
Every year.
With the lights twinkling int he background, the Christmas station playing on Pandora, and little faces all around the mixer.
Even the littlest faces.
Standing on stools. Sneaking chocolate chips.
Somehow, who gets to pour the cups of flour into the bowl…who gets to cream the butter and sugar…who mixes the baking soda….IT IS ALL WATCHED AND ACCOUNTED FOR. No one, and I mean NO ONE will pour even one teaspoon more than the other.
It’s super pleasant.
Yet, as they keep score…the Porkchop looks for his opportunity…
SEIZED!
He’s snuck his fat finger into the batter.
Good thing these aren’t going to friends. Just us.
They might still be around by the time dad gets home from work. Maybe.
We’ll make more next week.
And I’ll grit my teeth through half of it, and also love every second of it.
Because we moms are weird like that.
But with all the twinkling lights and hot ovens also comes the most dangerous time of year for fire accidents.
Did you know that cooking is the number one cause of home fires and injuries…and that the winter months are the deadlisest season for home fires????
And did you know that power surges after an outage (like the one wehad last week after a big storm) are the number one cause of carbon monoxide poisoning?
You knew that already, right?
Because you’ve been reading my blog and you know that I am seriously passionate about fire safety. Yes?
But did you know (and would you believe) that nearly FIVE TIMES as many Americans know the shelf life of a Twinkie than know the recommended operating life or a smoke alarm (according to a survey conducted by Kidde)???
That’s embarrassing, y’all.
{Print out the cute little Recipe for Safety Card for helpful tips this season.}
So today, I’m begging you: check your batteries. Be sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm. And please tell me you have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen?
Three things. I need that from you today. Because FOR REALS.
In case you don’t have a fire extinguisher (or maybe you already do but you know your mom/neighbor/cousin/friend) doesn’t…Kidde is offering one Kidde Kitchen Fire Extinguisher to a Life Rearranged reader!
So do me a solid: leave me one comment below sharing your favorite holiday memory.
I’ll choose a winner Friday, December 19.
Now go check your batteries. NOT KIDDING.
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This is very important stuff! I’ll be sharing with friends & family!!
My fave holiday memory is decorating the tree(real lol) with my family when I was growing up & waking up to it snowing outside one Christmas morning:)
Thanks for the chance to win! I need this lol
Happy Holidays!
Joey J.
It sounds really strange but one of my favorite Christmas memories is of all the cousins sleeping over at my grandparents house and falling to sleep listening to my grandmother reciting “Hiawatha” from memory.
family Christmas dinners.
Believe it or not, we don’t have one. I used to, then it expired so I threw it out, and *gasp* I haven’t gotten a new one yet. THanks for the reminder Jeannett. If I don’t win yours, I’ll go out and buy one asap.
Just 2 helpful tips. 1. Do not leave your fire extinguisher close to the stove. I’d there is a fire you will not be able to get to it. 2. Know how to use your fire extinguisher. Don’t be like me, reading the instructions while the flames shoot higher and higher off the top of the stove. (I was 15 and it was one of the old electric stoves with the grease drip trays)
Baking cookies!
Looking at lights with my son. Cooking with my brother and sister!
Luminaries on Christmas eve at the cemetery down the street…sounds weird..but beautiful
Reading the Christmas story on Christmas Eve. Did it with my family and now I do it with my littles.
I have so many wonderful Christmas memories…how can I pick a favorite? But one that sticks out for me is going to a local farm with my whole family and drinking hot chocolate and eating hot apple pie in the little café they have there. It just felt so Christmasy to me at the time.
I loved baking cookies with my mom and grandma (we lived next door to my grandparents for a long time) when I was younger. My favorite memories now are of my son’s reactions to everything. He’s 3, so everything is super magical. (And frustrating if Santa is around.)
Favorite memory is all the pictures of my son on Santa’s lap. There are 5 or 6 pictures and I always put them on the refrigerator at Christmas time. Love seeing that now 25 year old son look at them each year and smile.
My favorite memory was Christmas morning. My Dad always always always made us French Toast. It was such a special treat. And also, my Mom’s sugar cookies – the best cookies I have ever had. I still ask for them every year. Now that I have a child of my own, we are building our own traditions. Christmas morning is all about homemade Cinnamon Buns. And the cookies? Yep, they’re there too :-)
Merry Christmas <3
We would always put on a Christmas pageant for the adults on Christmas afternoon. Someone would be a narrator, others all the main characters involved. Even though we did the same thing each year, we had to spend hours organizing and rehearsing each year.
haha maybe winning this fire extinguisher could be my new favorite memory?
Because for REALS my DRYER caught on FIRE and I had to use mine. And I think, if I remember correctly, that you’re not supposed to keep them after that? Not sure.
But, I do need a new one. So this would be timely.
I can remember being little, maybe 9, and staying overnight the whole weekend with Granny Duck so I could make Christmas cookies and candies with her. :) They were sooo yum! :)
After that, my favorite Christmas is the first Christmas I was a momma. :) I love being a momma. I love putting out Santa and filling stockings. I love love love it!
my favorite holiday tradition is looking at Christmas lights. Put the kids in the jammies and make them some hot chocolate for the road and go enjoy the wonder.
I look forward to Christmas cookie baking day weeks in advance.
I have siblings 10 and 16 years younger than me. I used to help my mom ‘do Santa.” I would stand outside their bedroom windows, throw rocks on the roof and shake bells while saying ‘hohoho merrrrrry Christmas!’ around midnight on Christmas Eve. Always a good time!
Cheers,
Caryl
My favorite holiday memory as a mom is taking our two girls to see the Nutcracker for the first time. We did the whole thing…fancy clothes, a souvenir nutcracker, meet the ballerinas. It was magical!