Our Holiday Big 3

Back in October, The Lazy Genius podcast (episode #35: The Lazy Genius Holiday Game Plan) proposed choosing the "Big Holiday 3" for each approaching holiday: basically, to identify the top three things/activities that you would be so disappointed to miss, and then make them anchor pieces in your holiday plans.

Bringing this idea before my family, I was realistically hoping to get a list of no more than five, so I was pleasantly surprised when we truly came up with three!  Absolutely each boy wanted to do gingerbread cookies.  And we couldn't not do the advent candles.  And we live near the city now - let's do something Christmas in the city!

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1. Gingerbread Cookies

We went through quite a few Christmases before finding our favorite gingerbread recipe.  The winner ended up being from my pre-Pinterest, scissors-clipping idea-saving file, from a years-ago Family Fun magazine.  (Proof that it was pre-Pinterest: I can't even find a link for it!)  I am sure that there are tastier recipes out there, but we love this one because the consistency of the dough enables you to position your gingerbread man after cutting him out.  Want a running gingerbread? Just move his legs.  Want a disco man?  Just position his arms.  Want your gingerbread man to have dreads?  Work that head.  

Dancing Ginger People

(The original recipe called for butter, but we use refined coconut oil to accommodate for food allergies and still get a great cookie. )

1/2 c butter/margarine/coconut oil (room temperature)

3/4 c brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 c molasses

1 t baking soda

1 T cinnamon

1 t ground ginger

4.5 cups flour

Cream butter and brown sugar; beat in eggs one at a time, then beat in molasses.
In separate bowl, blend together soda, cinnamon, ginger, and flour.  Gradually add dry mixture to wet until thoroughly mixed.  Divide in half and wrap in plastic.  Chill two hours.

Heat oven to 350*.  Lightly grease baking sheets.  Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until brown.  Cool slightly, then transfer to wire rack.

2.  Advent Candles

We used to attempt an Advent reading and candle lighting every night, but this year we decided to shoot for one a week.  Toward the beginning of each week, we discuss the reading and light the candles at some semi-calm part of dinner.  This year, we signed up for Compassion International's weekly Christmas devotions that come by email, and they have been perfect!  Our very first week brought a fantastic discussion about the difference between needs and wants, and all four of our children really seemed to grasp the concept.  (And half an hour later, we had a meltdown over the injustice of not having much screen time in the day.  We're all works in progress.)  If we are wanting to light candles but have already completed that week's reading, we get out the Jesus Storybook Bible and do a review.

3.  City Fun

We had a few ideas for our last item on our Big 3 list, and then a friend gifted us with something even better: a night at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.  We enjoyed a miniature railroad, beautifully lit gardens, and actual snowflakes in the air.  We drove home admiring the city skyline and festive homes along the drive.

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I have felt so much lighter this December without the weight of trying to do something special every.single.day.of.the.month, and not one family member has expressed disappointment with how our holiday celebrating has been turning out.  More peace and family contentment - that very well might be one of my favorite gifts of Christmas 2017.