Twinkling lights. Festive decorations. Gathering with family and friends. Shopping for gifts. All these and more are what make the holiday season so wonderful. However, this time of year can also be overwhelming and tiring as you hurry from one place to the next.
“What doll will Sally like best?”
“I’ve gotta find the RC car Billy asked for.”
“I just don’t know what to give Jake this year.”
Thoughts like these are common as we try to find the perfect gifts for our loved ones, especially our kids. The excitement and magic in their eyes as they open that special present is something we, as parents, look forward to and cherish every year.
But here’s a little secret. The gifts aren’t nearly as important as you might think. 20 years from now, your child won’t remember each gift you gave them. The thing they will remember most is the time you spent with them and the memories you made together.
We’re not saying that you shouldn’t give gifts to your children. We’re suggesting you don’t let the gift-giving process become more important than time spent with your children. There’s no denying that the best present you can give your child is your presence.
Being present doesn’t merely mean being in the same room together. Truly being present means being intentional with your time together. Put down the phones and tablets, turn off the TV, and really interact and connect. Create those moments that will become cherished memories.
There are many ways to forge happy holiday memories with your kids. Think back to your own childhood. What holiday activities did you enjoy most? One thing that millions of people do each year is bake and decorate sugar cookies together.
The simple act of baking cookies is a beautiful way to create memories. However, this activity may cause some parents a little apprehension. Making and decorating cookies with kids can be, well, a bit messy. And even frustrating, making the task seem daunting.
But don’t worry. There are life hacks for everything…including baking and decorating cookies. Life hacks are ways to make tasks easier or more efficient, thereby reducing frustration.
Keep reading for nine sugar cookie-baking and decorating hacks to help you create happy holiday memories with your kids.
(gpointstudio/Freepik)
1. Parchment Paper
Parchment paper makes an excellent surface for rolling out cookie dough. The traditional method of rolling out dough on a layer of flour can cause your cookies to be dry and tough.
Omitting that extra flour will also lessen the mess. Parchment paper makes cleanup a breeze. Plus, you can easily make each child a small surface to roll out their own dough.
Additionally, parchment paper is the perfect liner for your cookie sheet. Not only will your cookies turn out better, but you won’t have to spend time scrubbing pans.
2. Flour
While we don’t recommend flouring your surface, flour does come in handy for your cookie cutters. To prevent dough from sticking to your cookie cutters and to avoid the resulting tears, dip cookie cutters in flour before pressing them into the dough.
3. Squeeze Bottles
For less mess and easier decorating, put the icing into squeeze bottles. This method works great for anyone, no matter their age.
4. Paper Plates
Give each child (and yourself) a rimmed paper plate on which to decorate their cookies. The paper plate will help contain the mess of icing or sprinkles.
5. Colors
When choosing cookie designs and the necessary colors, limit it to two or three colors. This saves prep time. Additionally, kids will be less overwhelmed and frustrated when the options are limited.
If you are not a fan of artificial food colorings, consider coloring the icing with natural food dyes. You can find packaged versions in stores. Or, you can create your own food coloring using strained fresh fruits or frozen juice concentrates.
With multiple children, consider providing a set of colored icing for each child. This will help avoid fights over who gets to use which color.
6. “Happy Accidents”
Instead of allowing yourself or your child to become frustrated with mistakes, take Bob Ross’ approach. Bob didn’t call his painting blunders mistakes; he simply referred to them as “happy accidents.” So, drop the perfectionism and embrace the less-than-ideal cookies.
7. Fun Environment
Play festive holiday music in the background and sing along while you design your masterpieces. Tell jokes or funny stories, compliment each other’s work, and allow yourself to relax and be silly.
8. Set Timers
If using more than one color on a cookie, allow each color to dry before adding the next one. Set a timer to help kids keep track. During the drying time, play a game, have an impromptu dance party, or have a snack.
9. Dip Methods
Squeeze bottles are a great way to decorate cookies; however, for tiny hands, try the dip method. Give the child a bowl of icing and allow them to dip their cookie right into the icing.
Another dip method comes when it’s time for sprinkles. Sprinkles are the glitter of the baking world. These lovely, tiny bits of sparkle can quickly become a nightmare as they make their way into every crevice of your kitchen.
Minimize this by pouring sprinkles onto a paper plate and allowing your child to dip their iced cookie into the sprinkles.
Making memories by baking sugar cookies is one of the oldest and most beloved holiday traditions. It doesn’t matter if your results are picture-perfect gourmet Christmas cookies or if they look more like they took a terrible fall. What matters most is the fun you and your kids had spending quality time together.
Create even more memories by bringing genuine holiday joy to friends and neighbors. A Christmas cookie delivery will surely brighten anyone’s day. Be intentional and make time for making memories and spreading Christmas cheer.
So many of us become consumed with the hustle and bustle of the holidays that we forget to take some time to slow down. Enjoy the beauty around you and be present with the people you love. This will make your holiday season brighter than the star on top of the Christmas tree.
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Infographic
Baking cookies is a great way to make memories, but it can be messy with kids. Read on to learn tips to help you and your kids create happy holiday memories with sugar cookies in this infographic.
