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Holiday Magic and the Easy-Peasy Sugar Cookie

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Easy-Peasy Sugar Cookies from Let's Get Together Twenty-six years ago in a small apartment in Garland, Texas, a tradition was born.  I was a mere three-years-old when Great Grandma Ada’s sugar cookies and the family cream cheese frosting made their first annual Christmas Cookie Party appearance. I don’t remember much (okay, anything) about that afternoon, but it must have been a big hit. Just like it has been every year since.    
 
Most years, these cookie extravaganzas happened on the afternoon of the last day of school before Christmas Break. We would come home from school, each of us with a friend, to find the kitchen table overflowing with cookies of all shapes, icing of all colors, and enough sprinkles and candies to make sweeping the floor memorable for several weeks to come. The Osmonds would serenade us while we giggled, licked our fingers, and put together plates of dozens of overly-frosted Christmas cookies.
 
    cookies
 
As a kid, I thought these magical afternoons just happened. I mean, I guess I knew on some level that mom did it, but I don’t think it ever really connected for me that she was spending hours making and baking and prepping and then cleaning up.   
 
I think that’s one of the lessons of growing up. 
 
Holiday magic can be a lot of work. (Bless those mamas of ours.)
 
But there’s an upside.
 
And that is that sharing holiday magic by passing on traditions-seeing your kid’s eyes light up just like yours did 25 years earlier-it’s magic. On a whole new level. It’s like seeing Christmas cookies again for the first time, but in high def. 
 
I wasn’t really prepared for that last year. It surprised me. And my baby was only 7 months old, so our tradition-passing was pretty limited. Even so, watching him stare at the Christmas tree and picking out his first ornament to start his own collection and reading the simplest of Christmas board books-it filled my Christmas-loving-soul to the brim. One year later, he’s a rowdy 18-month-old who loves a dance party, and while I’m completely in love with the sugar cookie party tradition, I just can’t convince myself that bowls of frosting and sprinkles and such with his… energy… is my best idea. So, we went simple.  This is the Easy-Peasy Sugar Cookie recipe that requires no overnight chilling-goodness; it’s something like 30 minutes from start to finish. Love. That.
 
Sugar Cookie Steps

Easy-Peasy Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
  1. 1 c. salted butter
  2. 2 c. sugar
  3. 2 tsp. vanilla
  4. 3/4 c. canola oil
  5. 2 eggs
  6. 1 tsp. baking soda
  7. 1 tsp. cream of tartar
  8. 5 c. flour
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream butter and sugar.
  3. Add everything else.
  4. Roll into balls.
  5. Press straight down with a fork, making perpendicular lines.
  6. Add sprinkles!
  7. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
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He’s just old enough to kind of help me dump in the ingredients. Old enough to be a cookie dough snitch (one more piece of evidence, my friends, that he is my child).
 
Cookie Dough Snitch

And definitely old enough to make a complete mess of the kitchen. (Which is why we’re outside eating the cookies. I needed to step out and breathe deeply before I headed back in to tackle the cookie aftermath.) 
 
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We’re eat-on-the-go kind of people around here.
 
IMG_5077
 
This handsome little dude got his outfit from Macy’s. I love that he looks like a mini-man, all grown up with his sweater and jeans. Holiday dressing can get boring with the same old reds and greens, but this guy looks perfectly festive and ready to hit those holiday dance parties I mentioned he loves so much. Macy’s has all kinds of options for kids-from the Minions and Frozen prints to fully put together Nautica outfits, you’re sure to find exactly what you (and the kids!) are looking for.  And because we like you, we’re giving away a $100 gift card to Macy’s!
 
To enter for a chance to win, tell us in the comments below: what would be first on your Macy’s holiday wish list?  
 
 Sweepstakes Rules: No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods: 1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post 2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post 3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post 4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 12/8/2014 – 12/25/2014. Be sure to visit the Macy’s Kids Holiday brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!  

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Comments

  2. I have been in need of a good winter coat. The one I have now has seen better days and not as warm as it once was.

  5. The first thing on my Macy’s holiday wish list is a holiday dress for those holiday parties this year.

  7. I would love to have a new women’s faux leather jacket in black! That is on the top of my wish list right now.

  27. My three daughters and I all need some new pants, and other clothes. Plus maybe some for my husband and son (just kidding, of course we’ll get them something too).

  31. I just found out we’re expecting our first little one so I would buy clothes for the new baby. Kaitlindotbolesatgmaildotcomkaitli

  37. There is so many things I would like starting with a KitchenAid Stand Mixer a $100 would be a start on it. To be more down to earth I’d like a Toaster Oven or maybe a pair of riding boots for my horse therapy.

  43. Oh what a great recipe and amazing giveaway!!! So many great options at Macys!! Im torn between something for the kitchen or a couple new outfits for the holidays!

  46. A kitchenaid mixer would be first on my Macy’s holiday wish list.
    tcarolinep at gmail dot com

  64. Visited and my favorite item is KitchenAid KSM75WH Classic Plus 4.5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer

  66. My mom has just recently started shopping at Macy’s because they have such great sales. I would clean out the clearance racks! 🙂

  67. I would love to get some designer jeans in size 32×34– maybe True Religion or Seven For All Mankind.

  79. I would buy my new granddaughter clothes and whatever else my son and daughter in law think they need for her. She was born on Dec 16th.

  80. Our favorite tradition is baking together as a family!

    Thanks for the chance to win!
    wildorchid985 AT gmail DOT com

  85. LOVE reading your posts Natalie, and love cute little Benson! I would use the gift card to by myself some boots 🙂

  87. Love the pic of Nat and Kellie!

    Top of my Macy’s wish list: boots. I’ve been needing a new pair for a while.

  92. Since I’m a sucker for kitchen toys, the Pasta Roller Attachment Set for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer is at the top of my wish list, and I see that it’s on sale at Macy’s website. I think it’s time to drop a hint or two. 😉

  97. I would love to get the The North Face Boys’ or Little Boys’ Resolve Rain Jacket for my son.

  103. First, would be some snow pants for my two sons. Just found out that they’ve overgrown the ones that they had.
    Thanks so much.

  107. If I could choose something for myself I would ask for the Nautica Grey Anchors Top and Capri Pajama Pants. Thank you!!

  119. My kids all need new church clothes. I really like the Ralph Lauren girls striped fit and flare dress.

  120. Oh my gosh, there is just so much to choose from! One thing I’d love to get my daughter is the JS Boutique Ombre Sequin V-Neck Dress 🙂 Super pretty and fun. Something I think she’d like 🙂

  148. I like the Charter Club Cashmere Long-Sleeve Crew-Neck Sweater. Lovely and soft.
    Thanks for the contest.

  150. I’d like to get the Disney’s Frozen Friends Silk Touch Plush Throw for my granddaughter because I think it’s going to stay a favorite for a long time.

  156. The first thing on my list would be the Robbie Bee Plus Size Infinity Scarf Colorblock Sweater Dress. It is so pretty. Love it! In fact there are a lot of dresses on my list now. Hehe.