Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Vintage thingy Thursday and Thrifty Thursday


Thursday is Vintage Thingy Thursday, sponsored by Colorado Lady. Please visit her site and see who else is playing. I am also joining Thrifty Thursday at Bloggeritaville.


When my kids grew from the toddler and little boy stage to the ages 6-10 stage (what is a good name for this age?) I felt it was time to start a new family tradition: making butter/sugar cookies, using cookie cutters to make fun shapes, bake but not burn them, and then frost and decorate with sprinkles. I remember well doing this with my mom – though she never ate any, not even as a “sample” and she did not enjoy it as much as my brother and I. It would be a messy business, but – family tradition must live on!


Now: to obtain cookie cutters. Luckily at Thanksgiving time I went to a local antique/vintage shop and saw some cookie cutters! Two bags of cutters from two different vendors and a few $ later, I was set. Some of the cutters were the same shape and of the same vintage as the ones I remembered from childhood. So they are nostalgic, vintage and thrifty.

How did it go? We have done sugar cookies for two years now. It’s not quite as messy as I feared. It was hard to keep the kids interested as they were baking, but they came back for the decorating. 4 colors of frosting and 5 kinds of sugars and sprinkles! Many cookies ended up with all 5 kinds of sprinkles on them. Oh yeah. We learned to be careful with reindeer- and dove-shaped cookies. And we learned to NOT lick our fingers as we frosted cookies – instant penalty of washing up at the sink.

The children were so proud to serve these cookies to grandma and grandpa. And that’s when we discovered that grandma (my mom) never ever eats these cookies. Why? Because on a Christmas eve long ago when she was a little girl she ate many many of these cookies and was sick all night and all Christmas day. To this day she can’t stand the smell or taste.


Viridian

31 comments:

★Carol★ said...

That's such a great tradition, but I can see why your Mom wouldn't eat those cookies. I still won't go near apple juice, and it was years and years before I would eat breaded shrimp again!
Happy VTT!
Carol

Postcardy said...

That is a nice tradition. I like sugar cookies--but only without frosting. I get really sick feeling from too much sugar so I understand how your mom feels. I think most baked goods nowadays have too much sugar.

LV said...

That was a great tradition for us too. My mother was the best cook and let us share in making messes. It was hard back then, but we still made the occasion a happy one. Thanks for a nice memory.

CC said...

Thank you for sharing such sweet memories with us. I remember some of those cookie cutters, the ones with the handles....I think you're carrying on a lovely tradition..

Jocelyn said...

Oh my what a memory! We never could make very good sugar cookies. We tried and tried, but they were either too thin and dry, or too crumbly. So we just resorted to good ole chocolate chip :-)


Jocelyn
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

My mom gave up on cookie cutters when I was about 4 or 5. But she still has this same set! She started shaping her sugar cookies by hand and they come out amazingly!

Lane said...

What great memories to have and to pass down...well, except for your Mom. We never decorated cookies when I was a kid, but Sydney and I sometimes do things like that. Guess we'll have to try again this year. Last year, it was just sugar. Maybe we'll try the frosting. Lane

Jane said...

What a great tradition! I love sugar cookies but don't really like making them. Enjoyed reading about your mom...it's funny how something like that will stay with you forever.
Jane

Diann said...

Decorating sugar cookies is a major part of Christmas for me from my childhood and now I do it with my nephews (10 years making cookies with them)!

Debbie said...

What a fun tradition to pass on. And it is amazing that your mom did this with you considering her aversion to the smell.

Keetha Broyles said...

I have used cookie cutters just like that back in the day - - - now I own plastic ones, and even THEY are getting vintage by now!

Anonymous said...

Oh yes... how I loved the days when they were in the kitchen for more than a grab and run. Each year, I try to coerce my youngest into making sugar cookies and he says, "call me when they're done".


Your cutters are lovely and will one day be appreciated by your kids!

Ulla said...

Traditions are good! I hope your children will keep the same tradition with their own kids when the time comes.

Coloradolady said...

I have to admit, I was not fond of this myself...messy...but the kids always loved to make cookies...tradition!! No wonder your mom did not want any cookies...but at least she could muster the will power to make them with you...

Have a great VTT and a wonderful holiday week ahead!

cristina said...

OOOOh you lucky thing, I'd love to bag myself some vintage cookie cutters. I love the ones with the handles. They remind me of my mom and I making gingerbread cookies :)

Old Time Cindy said...

I have some of those same cookie cutters, but they rarely get used. My sister is the cut out cookie queen in our family. Thanks for sharing!
Living it up at Lakewood,
Cindy

Unknown said...

Baking and decorating cookies really is a great tradition and the kids enjoy it so much even if frosting and sprinkles tend to be one big mess everywhere.
The year I found out I was pregnant I started baking all kinds of cookies - to get that domestic part of me going I guess. I did it for many years and then took a few off but back at it when I can now for my grandsons (5 and 10 almost the same as yours) who get a kick out of doing them.
What a fun post!

Vonlipi said...

It's a great tradition and the kids start to learn their way in the kitchen! Thanks for sharing

My Grama's Soul said...

I too, have made sugar cookies for years at holiday time. My sweet SIL, Sandy, and I always set a day during December to make cookies. This year I think the sugars are a bust, tho, because they are so time consuming to make and the are devoured in minutes!!

Cheers,

Jo

Unknown said...

I love this photo! I have most of those, and Jo, the lady who left the comment above me here, well she pretty told you it all....I am the SIL Sandy! I would love to make them, if I could get someone to roll them out and bake them. Jo and I do pretty good at decorating, altho' she is much more of an artist at it than I am.....I just want frosting to stick the sprinkles on! Thanks for the post!

Maureen said...

It's nice to create traditions with your kids. Sometimes you don't even realize it until years later.

Roslyn said...

I make & decorate cookies every Christmas with my GS's since they were toddlers, now the older ones are 12 & 14 & still love to do it! The newest GS will be included NEXT Christmas, he's only 7 months!
We have a nice assortment of cookie cuuters though I try to keep the number down...........

concretenprimroses said...

I love cookie cutters and have quite a few. Those are really cute ones!
I use my "open" ones to shape bisquits, that way I get to use them without getting too fat, lol.

Kathy

Anonymous said...

Decorating really is such fun - especially when the cookies start out with interesting shapes like yours did.

I also used to love those silver dragees to decorate with but some states have outlawed them. :(

viridian said...

Thanks everyone for your comments. Postcards: So they are called "dragees", huh? My mom had them but I haven't seen them in a long time.

Allison said...

We make sugar cookies as a family at Christmas too. It's a nice way to spend time with each other. We also us some vintage cookie cutters. Great fun!

Susan said...

I was the lucky one to get my mother's cookie cutters.......

That sure brought back lots of memories

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

Such wonderful traditions. My children also make (sugar) cookies with my mother each Christmas week. Its something that they look forward to each year! Thanks for linking up this week to Thrifty Thursday! Have a wonderful, blessed Thanksgiving. Thanks for being a Bloggeritaville friend!!!I am thankful for you!
Hugs!
Leigh
Tales from Bloggeritaville
www.lbratina.blogspot.com

Ally's Corner said...

Love cookie cutters, going to look for some the next time I'm out. I use cookies cutters when making my 5 year olds sandwich for school, she love it.

SewCalGal said...

Fun post. Cute cookie cutters.

I also have a friend that decorates her Christmas tree with all her cookie cutters. It is a beautiful tree!

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

j said...

Your cookie cutters are so charming! They bring back memories.

I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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