The Holiday of Cookies (and a little giveaway)

It’s finally here.  My favorite holiday.

The Holiday of Cookies.

It’s no accident that this celebration is timed to coincide with the winter solstice.  Let’s face it, few of us want to gather ’round the oven, say, around July 4th.  No, this holiday occurs when snow may be falling, children are home from school, and gifts of all types are shared with family and friends.  It’s bi-partisan, non-denomenational, secular, reformed, conservative, orthodox and alternative.  It’s sweet, it’s savory, it’s plain and it’s fancy. Cookie makers and cookie eaters come together to worship and pay homage to the mighty treat you can hold in your hand and call your own.  Way better than Festivus, if you ask me.

In my opinion, a more perfect holiday does not exist.

Don’t believe me?  Look at all the magazines on sale now, and I don’t mean just cooking magazines either, although those cover shots are undeniably seductive.  Even this magazine* employed a cookie to tell its story.

For those who have idyllic visions of decorated cookies dancing in their heads, but in actuality have royal icing on the walls and edible glitter on the dog, help is on the way in book form.

That sweetheart of a blogger and intrepid cookie decorator, Bridget Edwards of Bake at 350 wrote a book that teaches you everything you need to know to get started decorating your own fir trees, ornaments, snowflakes and SO much more.

It’s called Decorating Cookies, and it’s one of the best, most comprehensive, how-to-books on the subject ever published.

Decorating Cookies is bursting with practical, valuable lessons that will inspire you to feats of cookie greatness.  It’s well-organized, easy-to-follow and loaded with beautiful photographs that will send you running to the kitchen to get started.

I love the thumbnail sneak peeks in the table of contents!

Pick out what you want to make before you turn another page!

And, the instructions couldn’t be clearer or easier!

All the instructions are on 1 page! No need to break out into a cold sweat!

But, I think what I love most about the book is Bridget’s philosophy.  In the introduction she writes:

“The cookies you’ll find inside aren’t fancy, complicated or perfect.  Perfection is overrated, don’t you think?”

More than anything, Bridget just wants to share her cookie joy with you.  And, so do I.

Want a copy of your own?  So you can make cookies for The Holiday of Cookies or any other time of year?  The nice people at Lark Crafts are making that possible.  Here’s what you need to do:

1. Tweet me (@TheToughCookie) or post on FaceBook  (One Tough Cookie, Inc.) a photo of ANY cookie you’ve made and include a reference to this #giveaway.

2. Leave a comment here telling me that you’ve posted a photo.

I’ll pick a winner at random on the evening of Sunday, December 9, 2012.

May you have a healthy and happy Holiday of Cookies.

*shameless yet humble self-promotion, otherwise known as #humblebragging.