It's Christmas season!

I love Christmas.  I love the baking, the shopping, the gift wrapping.  My family has always been big on Christmas, so it was a bit of an adjustment for my first Christmas with Troy, who didn't want a tree, didn't care about traditions, etc.  In fact, he didn't get excited about ANY holidays.  I'm the opposite, I even have a "birthday month."  However, I've slowly brought him around (I think so, anyway).  Our first Christmas together I think we used a two foot tall fake tree that I had used in my room at home with mom.  We eventually upgraded to a fake 5' tree that we found on clearance after Christmas.  Then last year I finally got him to agree to let me have a LIVE tree!!!  I had to go get it myself, and I think he was surprised when I actually went through with it, but he underestimated my love of Christmas and live trees.  :)  This year we got a live tree again, and I doubt we'll ever go back to a fake one if I have anything to say about it.


The women in my family have an ornament party each year, where everyone brings an ornament and we have an exchange.  It's a lot of fun, and as a result of this yearly tradition, I have a tree full of ornaments with memories behind it.  I love it!  Sometimes I see the theme trees and think it would be fun to have one of those, but every year when I get out my Christmas ornament box it just brings back so many memories that I stick with my normal tree!  I do try to make a different garland each year, and this year I decided on buttons.  It's a little hard to see, but I like it!


One of my family's (German) traditions is to hide a pickle in the Christmas tree.  Not a real pickle, a pickle ornament.  So if any of you happen to be over at my house, feel free to look for the pickle.  The first person to find it gets a prize!  Troy even hid it in the tree this year, instead of rolling his eyes at my excitement to hide the pickle.  See, I told you he's coming around!  


So, my decorating is done.  And today, the baking began.  I tried a few new recipes, and made a few old recipes.  The pumpkin roll fundraiser went so well that we decided to try to sell some Christmas goodies.  In case anyone is interested, here's what we're selling:

Pumpkin rolls - no nuts, cuts into about 12 pieces, freezes well and lasts about a week in the refrigerator; $10 each.

Peppermint Bark - small (8 oz) in a festive gift bag for $5 or large (16 oz) in a festive tin for $10.

Chocolate Covered Pretzels - mixture of white and milk chocolate; small (8 oz) in a festive gift bag for $5 or large (16 oz) in a festive tin for $10.

Sugar & Spice Pecans - festive glass pint jar; $10.

Assorted cookie & candy plate - 1 dozen cookies (cut outs, gingerbread, peanut butter kiss cookies, chocolate surprise cookies, etc.) and 1/2 dozen pieces of candy (truffles, cake balls, peanut butter balls, etc); $10.

If you're interested in buying some, they make great gifts for co-workers, neighbors, teachers, etc!  :)