Tis the season to be jolly; and to bake to my heart's content. It is something I grew up with, when all the Italian neighbors would drop off platters of their goodies to the house on Christmas Eve Morning. You always knew who to expect and mom had the pot of coffee on and sure enough, they would come for a short visit.

My dad's best friend's wife, made the best cookies ever. Dad would come home from work with a large white shirtbox filled to the brim with a variety of of 12 or so cookies!

I learned to bake these wonderful morsels, just by watching Nonnie (grandmother) and my aunts bake. I still bake this time of the year, and has become a fav. hobby of mine. Seems like I can't go anywhere without a plate of something.

During the summer at the annual family picnic, those chocolate chip cookies better be stuffed with Snicker bars and they are. It is my admission ticket in. lol.

Christmas is for the Italian Cookies, chocolate chip, biscotti, and so much more. I try to do a variety of 14 or more. This year I have only 7 kinds in the freezer, I'll be baking throughout the weekend, so hopefully I'll catch up to last years number. Money is tight, of course, but cookies have been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember.