Cookies with The Joneses

Well once again, "Cookies" has come and gone.  "Cookies" (in it's present form) is a tradition that started in our family in 1997, when Mike decided that he wanted to deliver cookies to the families for whom he was a Deacon. (I seriously struggled with that sentence!)

He only had 10 families, but as soon as I did the math (not a strong suit in my case) I realized that was 10 DOZEN cookies, and that didn't even count any for our own family to eat or to give away to neighbors, etc.

Soooooooo, being the creative mom that I am, I encouraged the boys to invite some friends over and we made a competition of it.  Boys will do just about anything if you make a competition out of it, INCLUDING decorating cookies for hours.

Downside to boys decorating cookies is that they are BOYS!  They do weird things like lick their fingers, and pile on too much frosting and too many sprinkles!

So we had to make some rules.  And that's what started, "The Rules."

Of course, we have added to The Rules over the years as the need has arose arisen arose. Whatever.

For example, there's the rule of submission (not meaning you have to bow down to my authority).  In order to submit an entry into the official competition, you must decorate at least 6 total cookies.  We had to make this rule because one year a person, who shall remain nameless (but she knows who she is), created only one cookie.  In two hours, she made one cookie.  It was a masterpiece.  And of course it won!  But others whined, revolted, suggested that it was not fair, and so the 6 cookie rule was born.

And you have to name your cookie that you enter into the competition.  I don't know how this rule came about, but I think it was because we had two cookies that were really similar and so when the vote happened (yes.  we vote.  by secret ballot), there was some confusion as to the winner.

One year, we invited a lot of people over (thinking "more people, less time decorating") but that was NOT a good idea!  So from that day forward, we have pretty much only invited one family over to help us.  Thus the coveted "invite."  (I don't know if it is actually coveted. I just like to make stuff up like that so the night sounds really mysterious and awesome.)

Here are the official rules:

1.  You may not lick your fingers.  If you do, you have to wash your hands immediately.

2.  Less is more.  That means don't pile up a bunch of junk on your cookie.  They just don't taste good that way.

3.  The Rule of Submission.  You must decorate a minimum of 6 cookies in order to enter 1 cookie into the competition.

4.  You must name your entry.  The more creative the name, the better.  This year's winner was "Harry Connick Ginger."

5.  The Vote is by secret ballot.  Each person gets one vote and you cannot vote for yourself.

6.  You may not eat any of the cookies on decorating night because the frosting must dry for at least 12 hours!

There's probably more rules.  We make them up as we go sometimes.

The winner is awarded something different every year.  Sometimes they get a really awesome handmade trophy.  Sometimes they get a Cookie Winner Ornament.  Sometimes they just get a collective round of approval (laced with a little jealousy by the losers!)


Here are some pictures of the 2012 Cookies night:

Shannay enjoying her cookies. 

Nikki enjoying hers!  (They got to break the rules and eat one!)

Very seriously at work.  

Zack and his Grandma Nana.

The winning cookie "Harry Connick Ginger."

Tabulating the votes.

The Victory Dance.

All Smiles with her trophy.  (Yeah, we spare no expense for our winner!)

So happy for Grandma!

Grandma's Victory Dance!

Our honored guests, Seth and Shawna Johnson

Fun Night.

The Johnsons and the Joneses

All that to say,  Cookies 2012, you're in the can.