Thursday, December 24, 2009

The sweet Christmas season

The approach of Christmas brings harassment and dread to many excellent people. They have to buy a cart-load of presents, and they never know what to buy to hit the various tastes; they put in three weeks of hard and anxious work, and when Christmas morning comes they are so dissatisfied with the result, and so disappointed that they want to sit down and cry. Then they give thanks that Christmas comes but once a year.

Mark Twain
Following the Equator, 1897


I have been on baking duty for the past week. I have been doing little of anything else except bake and getting the cakes, brownies and cookies delivered to the people who have made this a wonderful year for me.


And in the hours that I am in the kitchen, the mind wanders to Christmases past. The lovely friends I had spent this special season with. Each of us busy with the cooking to come together for a special dinner, each bearing the dish we specially requested of each other because she does the best this or that. I know all is well with them, even as many of them are living elsewhere these past 10 years. And if things go according to plan, I will see a few of them again next month in the old hometown.

I am happy to have spent the days leading up to Christmas in the kitchen instead of joining the shopping crowd at the malls. And more happy to know that the people who matter will have the confectionery of their choice at the end of their dinner tonight.

A nice sweet start to the holiday season. I like that.

9 comments:

suzie wong said...

er...i like that too, that others are in the kitchen..see u later

sinlady said...

suziewong - haha. see u!

imp said...

have a good one to you and the man.

wildgoose said...

I feel exactly as Mark Twain describes every year! I'm not fond of Dec holiday season at all. Not having to fight the crowd in the malls is definitely a good thing.

sinlady said...

imp - :)

wildgoose - i did the mall thing for too many years. not doing it ever again.

TG said...

Wish you a merry Cristmas and happy holidays. Hopping over from Zewt ;)

sinlady said...

mkl- happy holidays to you too :)

Dancingbunny said...

I have started to do that too. I backed shortbread cookies and I am quite happy the 2nd time it turned out well.
The 1st time, well, all charred.
hahahah LOL! But I learnt from mistakes :)

I have finished with cleaning part of the house...diliberately leaving the other 40% for my husband. And will spend the whole of this evening in the kitchen again.

Oh boy, am I passing on the young and funky years. hahaha
I embrace it rather content and happily. :D

sinlady said...

bunny - isn't it scary to say baking is enjoyable? haha

housecleaning is a diff matter. there is nothing nice about that!