Gingerbread Cookies and Holiday Traditions

The holidays are such a cozy time to be with your family and friends and celebrate all of the things you are thankful for. As soon as October rolls around each year, I start to get excited about all of the coming festivities, from spooky Halloween parties to cozy Thanksgiving feasts, and finally the merry holiday season, which for my family includes both Christmas and Hanukkah.  Growing up in a household that celebrated both holidays gave me a unique perspective when it came to cultural traditions and celebrations. I have always loved being able to learn about both religions and all of the stories and celebrations that went with each. Because we celebrate both holidays, we have gotten to adopt fun traditions from each one that I look forward to every year. 

Hanukkah came early this year, falling at the very beginning of December. Sometimes it overlaps with Christmas, and as fun as it is to celebrate both at the same time, it was nice this year to have a dedicated part of December to celebrate Hanukkah. Most years we make our own latkes, which has been such an enjoyable tradition to learn and take part in with my mother and grandmother. When we were younger, my sisters and I would play dreidel and snack on our gelt (chocolate that is shaped like coins and wrapped in gold foil). As we got older, we began to enjoy the Hanukkah food and sitting around the adult table with the rest of our family. 

When the Elf on the Shelf became a big craze, my family got one for my youngest sister, who loved her and called her Ellie. This tradition was fun, but it was yet another Christmas-focused tradition to add to our list, which was much longer than the Hanukkah traditions list. One day, my mother and I were shopping and came across the Jewish equivalent of the Elf on the Shelf - the Mensch on a Bench. We thought this was adorable and quite funny, so we picked one up for my grandparents so that they could partake in a holiday tradition like the Elf on the Shelf. A mensch is simply a good person or someone you admire. Setting the Mensch on a Bench out during the holidays is meant to remind us to be good, kind people. 

Now that it is late December and Christmas is just around the corner, it is finally time to do all of the fun holiday activities that we get so excited about. My family has been getting a real Christmas tree for a few years now, and it has been something that we look forward to every year, but also something that requires a lot of work and time to get into the house! Once all of the decorations are up and the tree is trimmed, we like to watch a holiday movie as a family to really get into the Christmas spirit (our favorite is Home Alone). A few years ago, my parents began a new tradition on Christmas Eve. Each year, my parents put together a Jeopardy-style quiz for my sisters and me to play (buzzers and all) in which we compete for the first pick of a present from the three prize presents. My sisters and I get a little competitive, but it is all in good fun, and we can’t wait to see what the categories will be for the Christmas quiz this year. 

After we do our Christmas quiz, we always put on a new pair of pajamas (the first gift we all get) and sit down to read ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas. This has been a tradition since we were little, and each year my mother has recorded it so that we can look back on how we have grown over the years. Then, we eat some Christmas cookies, which brings me to the gingerbread cookies in the photos. My family loves soft, chewy gingerbread, so I try to make the cookies nice and thick so they stay soft when they’re finished baking. This recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction is delicious and is one I have used multiple times now with great success. If you love a chewy gingerbread cookie as much as I do, I would highly recommend this recipe.

I hope that you and your family have had a wonderful holiday season, and will continue to do so, no matter what holidays you celebrate. Enjoy the season together, and if you have time, make some delicious gingerbread cookies!