Grandmother's Gingerbread Men...

Using my grandmother's recipe, we carried on the tradition. Somewhat. I wanted everyone to put the raisins on just for eyes and buttons.  But some cooks in the kitchen became creative. 

This is the first time I'd tried baking at a high altitude and it took a little experimenting with ingredients and baking temperatures and times.  As we worked, I passed on anecdotes and stories of the past because we had a new family member taking part in all of this.  So it took some 'splainin as we were molding.  Then things began to go other ways.

Altitude or too hot of an oven? Maybe the biggest takeaway from this year's activity was discovering that one gingerbread man had e.d. after getting all hot in the oven.  All of the next gen had to show and tell that story.

What is it about traditions that seem to carry on but twist and take on new meanings as they go?  The bonding and creation of community -- don't you know in your own traditional folkways how you use the "we" in the doing of them?  What traditions bring you together most?

Comments

[carron hardin]

As always, food gets us together. Always has. Food was a big deal on both sides of the family. Both grandmothers used to play the piano and we'd skip around. It was always about getting together with the family. And still continues to be that way. For every holiday it was special...but Christmas was most special. I remember our grandmother had the lights on her tree that were plugged in and were shaped like candles and they had oil that bubbled when they got hot. I wish I could find those again. I still have my "Baby's First Christmas"ornament...and my baby is 22! And one ornament that comemorates my daughter's first Christmas with with us in 1977...she was adopted at age 4. So many memories...a lifetime of memories. The gingerbread cookies you baked and sent home with us...my golden retriever, Rowdy, ate some of them! He said they were great!

[tut-tut]

My goodness; we always got together with either my father's family or my mother's, so we got to see cousins several times a year growing up. I think the cousin connection is so important; I know mine are very special.

[allison]

Carron, those lights sound like bubble lights, and they can be found again. We have some on our tree and I believe we got them at Lowe's but there are also places online to order from. I remembered them from years past and wanted to have them again.