The Passing of A Torch

The holidays are full of traditions-- we all have them. At our house Santa always leaves a new pair of jammies on the foot of the bed to wear on Christmas morning. We drive around town looking at lights. We have far too much food and goodies sitting around for weeks at a time.

And we have Grandpa Cookies. They are famous around town you know!

My french grandfather (by marriage not by blood-- not that it matters except to say that I am not actually French) had these very special cookie irons that had been in the family for who knows how long. He taught my father to make them and the past weekend my father passed the torch to my son. Yes it did skip a generation. I think it is a man thing.

The true name for them is Gullet. I do not know how to pronounce this correctly. The dough is very rich full of butter and sugar and a little flour and gets pressed between the irons individually. They are wonderful. My dad created a cooking 'stove' out of a frame and a camp stove and a bbq.

And now my son, Brandon, is Keeper of the Grandpa Cookie

and he shall carry the Torch onward until it is time for him to pass it along to another generation. I hope I am there to see that!

To me this symbolizes one of the greatest gifts of the holiday season. Being comfortable and comforted by family. And not only the family we are born to but also the family we chose. Teaching each other all the lessons in life about life and death and memories and history and legacy. It isn't just a delicious cookie (and they are already long gone) but it is an acceptance of adulthood and a investment of trust too. Yeah, I am putting a lot on this cookie aren't I?

Holidays are different every year. New challenges jump up at us to accept and deal with. Losses happen. Surprises (good or bad) come along. What is going to remain in our hearts and minds for those coming along behind us? What will our children remember of these times? What will they teach their children. I hope they teach them that there is joy to be found in the giving--- the whole process. What it is like to know another person well enough to anticipate the happiness they will get from a simple gift from the heart. I hope they learn that serving others is it's own gift. That creating things with their own hands has extra value. I hope they learn that relationship between each other and with God brings hope and strength and fun! I hope they learn perseverance and have personal ethics that define who they are in a really good way! I hope I have done an okay job at modeling these things.

If I don't see you tomorrow, Geeezers, I pray that this holiday is blessed for you! I pray that you are touched with love and laughter and hope in the New Year! And that the twilight of 2010 sees us all together again.

Merry Christmas!