Christmas Is . . .

Gingery spice

Filling the air.

Spearmint leaves

Stuck to tasty houses

With Dum-dum light posts.

Cinna-minni sweetness

Rolled in butter

And fluffy dough.

Seeping stealthily through the house

Calling soon-to-be sticky fingers to the kitchen.

Joseph and Mary

Sitting in our house.

Careful not to fight

Just this one night.

Gently rocking baby doll Jesus

In His Tupperware manger.

Soft sighs of contentment

As kids snuggle under the covers

In new pajamas.

Cookies and note in place.

Knowing Santa is real.

More important, knowing Love is real.

This is me wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays whatever you may celebrate! I will be taking a break until the New Year, so I will see you then! 

In the mean time, what is Christmas to you?

*Cough* *Cough* Too Sick For a Real Post

I have been overwhelmed by (i.e. ROFL at) all your great name suggestions for the Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies. Who knew taking away a bit of chocolate would get such a reaction?!

So I have updated the list of choices (it more than doubled!), and if you want to change your vote, feel free! Here's the >>link<<. And since I have been horribly sick since yesterday, I'm afraid that's all you get. That, and a reminder to vote on the big Christmas debate!

Chocolate-less Chocolate Chip Cookies - Renamed

**UPDATED**

So last week I admitted that my favorite type of chocolate chip cookies are the ones with NO chocolate chips. I invited you all to give your suggestions for a new name, and here's what we have so far:

1. Abomination Cookies
2. Fiend Cookies
3. Oxymoron Cookies
4. Anti Chocolate Chip Cookies
5. Brown Sugar Cookies
6. Chipless Cookies
7. Choc-less Chip Cookies
8. Naked Cookies
9. What the Heck Did You Do With My Chocolate Cookies
10. Where-the-heck-are-my-chocolate-chip Cookies
11. Faux Cookies
12. Naked Cookies
13. Who Took Ma Chips, Ma? Cookies
14. Totally Bogus Cookies
15. Un-Cookies
16. Abomination and Desolation Cookies

I have my favorite, but I really think we need to vote on this. But if I don't like the results, I may have to play evil dictator. Just sayin'. ;)

What's your vote?

*With so many new options, if you need to change your vote, go for it!

The Perfect Balance

Over a month has passed since my post about playing a trick on one of my readers. If you missed it, click >>here<<. Some of you wanted to know what the trick was, but rats and phooey, I didn't take a picture. However, I am a writer, right?

So for my trick on Old Kitty, I sent a Halloween toy kitty that poops out jellybeans when you pull the tail. :) Maybe if we all beg, Old Kitty will post a picture for us. I still giggle when I think about it. The perfect trick, I tell you! And why? Because I'm not even a huge jellybean fan! ;)

Another perfect trick is balancing your writing life with everything else. Particularly during the holidays.

So here's my question to you . . . what is your trick for balancing it all? Do you forget about writing for the month? Stay up late? Ask for more time from Santa Claus (or any gift-bearing persona in your belief system)? How do you do it?

This vs. That: Chocolate Chip Cookies vs. Sugar Cookies

Hello, hello! I'm so happy to be back. Especially because today is a This vs. That post. AND we had a record number of votes. So very awesome.

However, I find the results somewhat disappointing. I mean, really people. Does chocolate truly throw all other considerations out the window? But I digress. On to the results:

Total votes: 35 

Sugar Cookies: 10 votes; 29%
Chocolate Chip Cookies: 25 votes; 71%

Of those who voted for chocolate chip:
ONLY if gooey: 2 votes; 8% (of the 25 who voted for ChC)
ONLY if crispy/dunkable: 1 vote; 4%
Coated with a layer of chocolate: 1 vote; 4%

I had to add the subcategories, because I found it fascinating. And just for the record, there were a couple of you who voted chocolate chip, but said you'd change your vote if the Sugar Cookies had a specific frosting or sprinkles.

Hello! Of course the sugar cookies are made exactly to your specifications. You crazies. So your votes went to Sugar cookies. Besides, they could use the help.

And is there really a question about my vote? I went sugar cookies all the way. No question. In fact, when I was little, I used to pick out the chocolate chips or eat around them. If I could. Some cookies were more chocolate than cookie. If I were around when my mom made them, I would request chocolate-less chocolate chip cookies.

So here's a question for you . . . what do you call a chocolate-less chocolate chip cookie? Seriously. I'm taking suggestions.

Okay, okay. On to the next vote. I debated this one. Last year, we did Real vs. Artificial, and I was sorely tempted to do it again just to see how the results compared (last year they tied). But there are so many great Christmas debates, I couldn't resist a new one. Are you ready?

How the Grinch Stole Christmas 

by Dr. Seuss

vs.

A Christmas Carol 

by Charles Dickens