Monday, December 21, 2009

Cranberry Cookies and Christmas Lights

Every year Bill and I select a night in late December to take Katie on a Christmas light adventure, and last night was our night! With the city Christmas light tour map and snacks and Christmas music in hand, we set out in our cozy pajamas and found treasures! Katie squealed in delight at some of the houses, and she definitely had favorites!

A friend of mine, Linda, and my mom both brought to our attention a street on the outskirts of Temecula that has assembled an amazing display this year. Bainbridge Circle was featured in The Californian yesterday and is also on YouTube:



The neighbors all got together back in the summer and decided that every house would have lights, and that all the lights would be synchronized to dance to the music on a Christmas radio station. The YouTube video is stunning, and so is seeing it in person. Definitely worth a trip. Katie loved it!


There was a similar street in Crowne Hill: everyone had lights and decorations and there was a Tigger and a Winnie the Pooh and a festival of light and twinkly colors. I think the street was Via Destello, but I would have to make sure. We also visited perennial favorites, including a house of Nicholas that had a winter wonderland scene with a Ferris wheel and other amazements.


Our night was so exciting and cozy and full of Christmas. Hunting for Christmas lights is one of my favorite traditions, and I look forward to it every year. It fills up our hearts and minds with beauty and goodness.


During the day, also, we were festive: my mom came over and we baked some cranberry white chocolate pecan cookies. We have actually eased up a little on our baking this year. Usually we make almost a dozen different kinds of cookies. This year we are a bit more conservative with our calories. Still, we hope to fit in a couple more batches of something or other... We will take the cookie overflow to our New Year's party.


Katie helped, as always, and we discovers that she likes white chocolate and dried cranberries! She liked them so much that she absconded the Kitchen Aid mixer bowl. She picked out a few chips for everyone, to share. Even one for Tuna Cat!

Katie with her bowl of cookie dough....

Christmas is soon, my friends! I hope you are all having a cozy and cheerful week!