The first snow has fallen, Thanksgiving has taken place, and we have moved into the month of December.  It would be a shame to reach Christmas before having made several batches of Christmas cookies. Every year, a few members of my family block out their schedule to help make dozens of these delicious treats.

Initially, we’re all in good spirits. The dough is being rolled out into a perfect circle, and all sorts of cookie cutters are being utilized. We’re careful to not burn or break the cookies, and each one is treated as if it were a possible entrant for the state fair.  With several different colors of frosting, it’s possible to give Frosty the Snowman the detailing he deserves: blue eyes, an orange nose, a green hat, a red scarf, and multi-colored buttons.

Unfortunately, the joyful attitude and precise frosting skills do not last past the first batch. Every year we fail to remember that this is not a whip-it-together-and-be-done-in-an-hour project. This is a better-have-nothing-planned-the-rest-of-the-day sort of task.  Unfortunately, you’re reminded once you’re already surrounded by pounds of dough, half of which is stuck to your rolling pin.  

Our creativity steadily diminishes with each batch we pull out of the oven. Soon our Santas look more like ghosts with protrusions, our stars are missing points, and our candy canes are a weird mixture of yellow and green (go Bison!?).  What’s left of the frosting has hardened and is about as easy to spread as frozen butter. Sprinkles and flour cover the counters and floor, making the kitchen look like a room in a gingerbread house. 

By this point, we’ve lost half of our staff, as they have found better things to do with their time, and a large portion of the cookies we’ve baked have been devoured by spectators.  The chefs begin to get irritated with intruders who assume that sneaking a few clumps of dough is acceptable.

Unless Mom has enough willpower to package up a few dozen and hide them in the basement freezer, our entire day’s effort is gobbled down by that evening.

However messy and frustrating the process can be, the good parts always stick in my memory: the ideas, the time shared with my family, the free baking lessons I get from my mom, and of course, how great the cookies taste while they last.

Shootin’ the Wit is a weekly column about everyday life that should never, ever be taken too seriously.

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I’m a writer and photographer who loves old cars, big dogs and trying stuff for the first time. I believe everyone should have a bucket list because life isn’t about working, paying bills and having the latest and greatest. It’s about experiences. Achieving goals. People. Adventures. Travel.

I’ve never dyed my hair, broken a bone, or watched a Star Wars movie, and I don’t plan on doing any of these.