With winter break creeping closer with every passing day, one might want to consider the holiday traditions that come with the territory. Whether one prefers buying gifts for loved ones or spending time with family, there are so many wonderful practices to choose from.
However, one mustn’t neglect the common tradition of holiday baking. Whether experienced in the kitchen or don’t know a whisk from a spatula, a baking guide will be a surefire way to create a great holiday experience!
But, why leave a sweet treat on the table for Old Saint Nick? According to History, there’s a not-so-distant explanation for this tradition. “Leaving cookies and milk for Santa—and perhaps a few carrots for his reindeer—took off as an American holiday tradition in the 1930s, during the Great Depression. In that time of great economic hardship, many parents tried to teach their children that it was important to give to others and to show gratitude for the gifts they were lucky enough to receive on Christmas. Some 80 years later, many children still set out cookies and milk for Santa.”
Elkhart High School Senior Tristan Bryson believes that leaving out cookies and milk for Santa is one of the most important parts of celebrating Christmas. “I’m not the best at baking myself, but I always enjoy seeing what other people can create in the kitchen. I remember being younger and being so excited for Santa to eat the cookies that my family had made together. I hope that younger kids can get that feeling now, too.”
Even with its relatively late origin, setting out cookies and milk for Santa is a very iconic part of Western culture and holiday tradition. But, what should one do if he or she isn’t sure how to handle baking this loveable tradition?
Cookies, as a whole, are rather easy to bake. Mixing flour, baking soda, sugar, eggs, and plenty of chocolate chips, then baking at 350 degrees is an easy way to get perfect, chewy, chocolatey results. However, for those not so experienced with baking, follow an online recipe, as seen on Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Frank Covarrubias-Romero, an Elkhart High School Senior, actually tried the recipe: “It’s actually really good. They were chewy and sweet. I was thinking about recreating the recipe at my house.”
Now armed with a furthered knowledge of the history of Santa Claus’s favorite winter treat, one must wonder how he or she is going to broach this tradition. No matter what recipe one chooses, or how experienced one is at baking, consider experiencing this timeless tradition in a new light.
