My Thanksgiving four-day holiday was great. I got to sleep in late, eat a ton of food, nap and catch up on a stack of things to do. One of the things I wanted to do was get a start on the Christmas cards.
My rough sketch for our holiday card.
Since last year, Paul and I have been jointly sending Christmas cards. It’s an idea we come up with together and he does the actual mousework (mostly because I can’t draw very well, above). Last year’s was done half-hearted and not much thought was put into it. So we decided this year to have an actual theme and make it look like a movie poster. It’s actually a lot of work and when we see how many cards we send out opposed to what we receive, it doesn’t feel worth it… but the effort can be fun, especially coming up with the idea together. Doesn’t anyone send out Christmas cards anymore??
To get Paul going on our project, I promised to bake him some cookies. I almost threatened to make lemon bars — something he’s throughly against — when he didn’t pick up his pen and start drawing. But when he heard me mention chocolate chip cookies, he went right to work.
The cookies I planned to bake were chocolate chip Amish puff cookies from the drool-worthy blog, Erin Cooks. I’ve had been looking for a recipe for puffy chocolate chip cookies for a while and the photo she took just sold me on the recipe.
Unfortunately the cookies weren’t as puffy as I hoped it would be, but the sugar + cinnamon coating made the cookie a cross between a snickerdoodle and a chocolate chip. Paul didn’t mind and spent the entire time sketching while I was baking. The plan worked perfectly, puffy cookie or not.
My Burning Kitchen 
I love lemon bars. DAMN YOU PAUL AND YOUR HATRED.I agree on the xmas card thing. I send out a ton and get none back. Rude.
Paul is a hater. That's for shore.This year, I'm gonna start knocking people off my list. But I say that every year.
What a good idea with those cookies. I love chocolate and cinnamon. mmmmmAnd I try and send out the cards early, to guilt people into sending me one back. I don't think that's really the point though…
I HATE lemon bars. Yay Paul!I don't send cards anymore. It causes too much controversy in my house and I just can't be bothered. I also have a lot of peeves about cards. I like to get them, yes, but if it JUST has your name printed and no little note—lame. Also, a photo of your kids…well, I won't get started. It's okay if there's a note, but I'd prefer a photo of the whole family. Just saying.(Unless the photo of the kids can be made into an ornament or something).
I would send out cards if the postage didn't cost me about $50! Actually, I think you have inspired me to send out a couple of handfuls this year…The cookies…Alton Brown did an episode on chocolate chip cookies, and the science behind getting them the way you like them – thin, puffy, or chewy. Here's the transcript. It looks like if you switch from butter to shortening, that should give you a puffier cookie. Good luck!
Someone(s) sent you an e-Xmas card. Plz click here for a heartfelt holiday howdy. (If you are unable to access your holiday card. Please call Bill Gates at home, or start a signal fire and wait for assitance.) S
I would not be surprised if paul is visited by some ghostly lemon bars on Christmas Eve. Perhaps, the hater will realize the evil of his bar-humbug ways. S
Sarah–The cookies are delicious! I recommend it.Jodi–Heh. I see your point about Christmas cards. I think I was there a few years ago but you ALWAYS need to write a note or what's the point??Cara Mia–Yow. $50 is steep. I think that's why these "cards" will be postcards. Thanks for the transcript!Steve–I just don't know what to say.
Just a joke on cards. The E-card seems so completely lame to me, so it is the perfect option for the sluggards among us. On the card theme, 7-Eleven would sell these giant cards the size of a coffee table, as if getting a giant card makes up for the fact that you waited so long — or forgot the ocassion — so you had to buy it at 7-Eleven. I guess if you stuff it with lottery tickets, you would have the perfect insulting gift.S