christmas delectables by katrina berg, 16×16 oil on cradled masonite, 1 1/2″ sides painted red to match, no need to frame

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The joyous, sometimes quiet moments after the dinner has been served…kitchen cleaned merrily with more than needed hands…carols are played in the background, and everyone gathers once more to taste from the Christmas desserts and delectables.

My mother had a tradition when we were young, of making a special treat or two everyday for a week or so.  By the end of our making and baking frenzies, we’d end up with a large load of treats to disperse between several plates.  We’d use these as we caroled with friends all over town.  We’d save some special plates for our seven neighbors on our cul-de-sac.  Sometimes we didn’t pass these out until Christmas Eve.  The more we passed out, the more that seemed to arrive.  It was an exciting time for we children.

It was almost like Halloween was a precurser to this amazing phenomenon that we couldn’t understand or attempt to explain…but we knew it was magic!

The tradition ended upbruptly when my mother began having difficulties with sugar.  I laugh as I think of fairly recent Christmases, watching my disappointed younger brothers desperately searching for the must-be-hidden treats that had arrived earlier that day…now disappeared.  As soon as a treat would arrive, my mother would find someone else to gift it away to.  {I hope I’m not divulging a great secret here}.  And yes, if you want to leave treats, just put my brothers’ names on it so they can enjoy it.  🙂

Anyways, she couldn’t bear the temptation, almost like a game: she would pass it on to someone else who could eat them.  Later, I too would have a difficult time with sugar.   Not wanting my children to miss out on “the magic” we discovered at holiday times, I’ve tried each season since the kiddos were very small to find ways rectify some of my favorite treats by making them with whole grains, raw sugar, honey, coconut milk, coconut oil, no preservatives…well you get the idea.

Just this week, the builder asked me to make a special treat and then warned me that I have to follow the recipe.  And I thought to myself, this sweet boy doesn’t know his momma yet?  Hmm…follow a recipe?  🙂  We’ll see.

We’re making our updated version of the orange rolls I mentioned in my previous painting, this week..a little whole wheat practice for the big dinner.  Stay tuned for the  recipe and photos.   As the Holidays commence, I’ll be sure to share our baking adventures.

What are some of your favorite Holiday treats?