Favorite Traditions

Merry Christmas! Traditions are some of my favorite things in life. Like visiting Santa. Even if your favorite Santa retires and you have to visit a new one at your health club!

I must say he paled in comparison to the jolly old man who yanked me

to his lap a couple years ago. But beggars can't be choosers.

And then there is getting the house ready... well worth the work.

God bless the inventor of the faux tree! My mountain man

even agrees it is worth it now. We have a convert folks.

But honestly, right next to decking out our gingerbread house comes the cinnamon rolls. I used to use a recipe that would cause me to stay up way too late. I'd undoubtedly forget that I had to make them (like the Dunkin Donuts baker), so there I would be at 10:00 p.m. waiting for the darn dough to rise. But now there is a glorious invention that I use...

Without her I would have been up until midnight last night. And without her

(why her? not sure) we'd have far fewer Friday night pizza nights.



Using the best recipe on the planet I roll out the dough...

Slather it with buttery brown sugary cinnamon goodness...

I could eat that combo by the spoonful.

I have started adding walnuts now that some people's palates have matured!

Then I roll 'em up, cut 'em up, and close 'em up in the fridge overnight.

Santa has never even tried to steal these round doughy delights! A dozen cinnamon rolls that can last for two breakfasts is a tradition we'd miss. We can do without the snow (sorta), but Christmas morning without cinnamon rolls covered in cream cheese frosting would seem wrong.

I hope you have enjoyed some of your favorite traditions this week! Enjoy reading the Christmas story today ~ our true reason to celebrate this glorious day.

P.S. I'll share the recipe to those with bread machines. Otherwise, you'll be like the Dunkin' Donuts guy tredgin' around saying, "I gotta bake the cinnamon rolls", with a very unhappy heart.