It always interests me, reading other people's cookie baking plans for the holidays. Keep posting your thoughts and adventures! Seems that most of the cookie bakers bake far more cookies than I do. I'm fine with that.*** We have two or three standards, and I usually try one or two new recipes, depending on time and energy -- so we usually end up baking four or five different kinds of cookies. This year, having lost a week, I haven't even got the list of cookies I will make finalized yet. But the ideas are starting to percolate.

This week will be about cards and last shopping, at least for Mom and Dad and Sibling Gift Exchange Person X. I have things for C-man and E-boy, but need to get a few more. This week will also be about finalizing my cookie selections. Then I have to get at least a good portion of my baking done by Sunday morning, as it looks like we have two exchanges that day. I know for certain what one of those cookies will be.

Every year I also intend that *next year* I will be more organized and make more gifts. This never happens. I mean well, but I am not very on-the-ball. It amuses me that there are people out there who think I am on-the-ball, because I am not. Really. I'm not unnecessarily beating myself up; this is just a fact. I'm an avoider, and I tend to be lazy.

However, this year, while I probably won't get around to making all those lovely projects *again*, I think E-boy and I will at least be able to make some small presents from him to various folks. His Grandma and Grandpa, his Nana, probably his aunts and uncles, his teacher. Maybe his friends. I have no idea whether these will turn out well or not, but the project should be relatively easy. That is the last thing that I hope to get done this weekend.

Of course, the cards are the biggest X factor. Will I be able to get them done? Will they send me over the edge? It could go either way. Stay tuned.



*** As I was writing this, I thought about my Grandma, who was a master baker and holiday preparer. I'm pretty sure she only made a few kinds of cookies -- as few as two or three, for sure springerle and Grandma's Famous Cutouts but maybe one or two others that I can't remember -- and fudge every year. So, I guess I don't feel badly that I'm not that sort who makes loads of different kinds of cookies. It runs in my family to find a few recipes that satisfy the baker, and please the family, and then stick with those.