Late fall means shorter days, warmer jackets, darker bike rides, the last brightly coloured leaves – and, of course, the start of Holiday Baking Season! Measuring flour, kneading dough and turning it into pretty cookie shapes with my favourite cookie cutters, spreading sugary icing and making tasty beautiful pieces of edible art are some of my favourite childhood memories, and I find as much joy in making the cookies as everybody else finds in eating them.
Years ago, my friend Adam inspired me to share that joy with others who had never had the chance to experience that fun and joy for themselves, and I started to build gingerbread houses with the kids at a local transitional housing organization for women. Watching the smiles, joy and pride in those kids’ eyes as they worked together to build two beautiful, big gingerbread houses was the best holiday present I could have asked for, and the Gingerbread Joy Project was born!
The purpose is simple: to celebrate and share holiday joy, cheer and community through gingerbread (or sugar cookies – totally your call). It can come in many forms, from simply delivering cookies to teaching folks how to bake and decorate them, and can easily be targeted to any particular group. There is a special magic in transforming plain cookies into edible art with just some icing and small brightly coloured sweets, for adults as much as for kids!
This year, the Gingerbread Joy Project will be focused on making beautifully decorated gingerbread people cookies to distribute to folks who may otherwise get little holiday cheer or attention, and the PosPeds will be hosting the Cookie Party!
Mark your calendars for Saturday, December 15th at Magnolia Manor (our delightful old house near Koreatown/West Adams in L.A.) to join your fellow PosPeds and many other friends in this holiday extravaganza, and start thinking about all your different gingerbread designs! Yes, I will be making chili and hot cider again and we will post all the event details soon.
Not in LA? Not a problem! Joy grows when it is shared, and I would be thrilled to help you host your own Gingerbread Joy Project wherever you live – you don’t even have to know how to bake! I can share recipes for the cookies, icing, candy suggestions for decorations and any other tips and tricks; you just need to find some recipients for your cookies, and lots of friends to help you decorate. Message me if you are interested!
