December Diversions

 

2 – National Fritters Day

The only fritters I have ever eaten are apple fritters, and I just adore them. They’re not terribly sweet and go so well with coffee. I’ve never had to opportunity to try vegetable or meat fritters, but I wouldn’t be averse to giving them a taste. I will never make any myself, because I don’t want to deal with deep frying. I used to have a small Fry Daddy many years ago and I enjoyed it but absolutely hated the cleanup. 

 

 7 – Letter Writing Day

Even though this is pretty much a lost art, I LOVE sending and getting real letters. That was one of the reasons I joined a post card group. I’ve sent and received post cards from all over the world. And you only have to write a little bit, because there isn’t much room on a post card. Through this group I recently gained a penpal, because she isn’t on social media at all. Check out postcrossing.com. It’s free. 

 

 

18 – Bake Cookies Day

It’s time to get cracking and make those cookies so you can share them. Spend the day making them and freeze them for when you can plate them, cover them with fancy Saran Wrap, put a bow on them and deliver them with a Christmas card. My favorite go-to recipe has always been the basic Bisquick recipe: 1 small box jello instant pudding mix, 1 cup bisquick (or any baking mix), ¼ cup oil, 1 egg. Mix all together, form into small balls, put on cookie sheet and flatten. Bake 350° for 5-8 minutes. The beauty of this recipe is that the flavor of the jello is the flavor of the cookie. You can add choc chips, colored sugar or sprinkles, M&Ms, whatever you want. 

 

 21 – Winter Solstice

Shortest day of the year. Also my Dad’s birthday. Have a nice dinner with candle light. Drink hot chocolate or a nice toddy. Scamper about outside under the moonlight. Howl at the moon. Whatever you want. I don’t judge…

 

 

26 – James Mason (not the actor) patented the first coffee percolator. Growing up, we had this exact same type of coffee maker. I remember when we got that fancy new-fangled thing – The Electric Coffee Maker!! All you had to do was prep it and plug it in!! On Christmas Day, my brother and I would get up early, but we couldn’t wake our parents until after we’d plugged in the coffee and the little red light showed that it was done.