Grandma's Christmas Cookies

Growing up we always celebrated Christmas Eve at my Dad's parents' home.  Sometime after dinner all of the kids would shuffle past the gigantic (creepy) bobble-headed Santa in the foyer and out the front door to "walk the dog" while adults scrambled inside to pull wrapped packages from their hiding places and pile them under the tree.  When they were all set my grandpa would go out on the back deck and blow a big red plastic horn (think vuvuzela) signaling Santa's arrival.  You know Santa blows a horn, right?  Then we would all run back inside, an adult would mention something about how we "just missed Santa" and we would stand in awe of the present mountain in my grandparents' living room.  It was awesome, and I love that we carry this tradition on for the next generation of my family.

My grandpa has passed and Grandma now lives in a small apartment, too small for the growing "next generation" and the present mountain.  This Christmas we moved the Christmas Eve celebration (and the red horn) to my parents' house.  I think Grandma was a little reluctant to give it up seeing as she decorated her apartment, filled stockings for the great-grandkids and asked us to come to her place to get them.  She did agree to make the most requested Christmas cookies, but claimed this is the last year she will make them.  I say "most requested" because at one point I'm pretty sure she made at least 437 different kinds of cookies all from scratch, except the yucky anise cookies that came from a bakery and my dad is the only one who eats those anyway.  So this year she scaled back to about 8.

Recently, Grandma has started to show and feel her 87 years.  She is having more trouble walking, is forgetful, gets a little confused sometimes and has started addressing all of my cards to "Ginny."  She lets her ridiculous little dog, Cocoa, run her life and has overfed it to the point that none of us would be surprised if the dog actually exploded.  Christmas Eve, Grandma sat in charge of the 3-teired cookie platter, doling out goodies to her 8 great-grandchildren.  Addie sat next to her.  When she finished one cookie, Grandma handed her another.  I'm pretty sure Addie ate 12 cookies.  I hope this isn't the last year.