Nothing says December like lights and baking. Or is this some smokescreen of a plan to eat cookie dough?

Baking for the neighbors. That’s what I told myself anyway. It was like a public service. They were new and how could they possibly feel welcomed to the neighborhood without my famous chocolate chip cookies? Simply said, they couldn’t.

This was old thinking. I see that now. But as the holidays round the bend for the 3rd round since I decided to live a healthier lifestyle, I find old patterns easily creep in on the backs of such things as chocolate chip cookies. And these little gems that just walked through the door…

…Literally, just now as I was typing this. A sleepover friend for my son and a plate of turtle brownies. Two-fer. Happy first day of Hanukkah! It’s just what we do as a culture to say Happy Holidays, isn’t it?

We might not have complete control over daily sugar visitations that come our way, but what we do have control over is this: the realization that the neighbors DO NOT need to be greeted with a red plate of flour and sugar to feel welcomed to the neighborhood. A plant would be just fine.

And a plant, come to think of it, would be WAY better for me because I would not be tempted to eat the leaves.

Happy December!