Decorating Christmas Cookies

The kids have enjoyed making and decorating Christmas cookies this year. I got kinda lazy about making many in the past few years as I was in a neighborhood cookie exchange. We got so many that way so I really didn't need to make many more at home. This year we didn't do the cookie exchange so once again I got to work baking. We made many favorites from my childhood including frosted gingerbread cookies. I have tried many gingerbread cookies and this is by far my favorite recipe. It makes flavorful, soft cookies. Then we frost them with a quick-hardening decorators frosting. The kids love to make all kinds of colors and it dries sort of shiny so they are so pretty and colorful on a cookie tray! I also make my yummy buttery homemade caramels each year. After I wrap each one individually and place them in a holiday bag, they make such nice gifts for teachers, friends, etc... Peter even got in on the action with decorating the cookies this year!! Ricky wasn't interested in making them but wanted his sisters to make him one that looked like a "hockey puck"!