Holiday Giving Traditions: Reindeer Cookie Gifts {Giveaway}

by Jyl Johnson Pattee on December 9th, 2012 | 5 Comments »

What are your family's holiday giving traditions? One of our favorite service activities to do together as a family in December involves baking and reindeer. Well, not real ones! Reindeer cookies. Fun and delicious and thanks to Shout^® I know my family won’t have to worry about getting a little dirty during our favorite activity!

Six years ago, my mother-in-law was making reindeer cookies (see recipe here) to deliver to her neighbors as holiday gifts and she involved my boys, then ages 4 and 6. The next year, as Christmas approached, both boys asked me when we would be making the reindeer cookies again. My mother-in-law was living outside of the country at that point, so I immediately jumped on Skype and asked her for the recipe and instructions. Thus began what has become a fun, (sometimes messy!),Pattee family tradition of baking reindeer cookies together each holiday season as a family and delivering them to our neighbors as gifts.

As we were getting ready for the baking this year, I thought back on Christmases past and reflected on the similarities and the differences of this particular tradition.

One difference, aside from their ages and sizes, is that the first year we made the cookies, my boys were barely learning math. The task of sorting the chocolate candies into different bowls based on their color was something I had to help them with and one in which they learned from. But this year, now ages 9 and 11, they love to sort the candies if nothing more than to be able to sneak a few.

One similarity is the process we follow and the roles we perform – these we repeat year after year. I get out all of the ingredients, the boys take turns completing the recipe instructions, Troy mixes the ingredients after the boys put them into the bowl, Troy and I shape the dough into balls and place on the pans, the boys go crazy with laughter coming up with unique and fun color concoctions for the eyes and noses (most years we end up with several yellow-eye Cyclops reindeer cookies, for example) and we all take turns placing the reindeer “antlers” on each cookie.

Then, we drive around as a family and the boys take turns running up to our neighbors’ doors, delivering them and saying “Happy Holidays!” (This is Connor in his ninja gear ready to deliver cookies!)

To encourage families to take a fresh look at their daily routines, Shout^® developed the “Reprogramming America for Fun” App on Facebook.

Upon log-in, the app integrates each user’s name and profile photo into a short, personalized video all about seizing the moment, setting you free to start living out loud and having fun, without the worry of getting a little messy – try using the App once you have taken holiday photos to see how your personalized video changes & highlights all of the fun times you had.

While our reindeer cookie baking family tradition can be a little time consuming and a lot messy (Shout® has come to our rescue time after time!), the time and cleanup is worth it because we’re making family memories that last.

What family giving traditions do you continue each winter holiday season?

Giveaway

Here are a few things you can enter for a chance to win that will help you create meaningful memories over the winter holidays as a family (ARV: $100):

Shout^® trigger and Shout^® wipes
Snowman Kit with materials to create your own snowman
Snowflake cut-out how-to book
Beaded snowflake craft kit

Giveaway Requirements

All entrants much complete both requirements to be qualified for a chance to win this giveaway:

Go to the Shout' Reprogramming America Facebook app (http://on.fb.me/PIsrLv) and click on the Get Reprogrammed button to create your own custom “Reprogramming America for Fun” video.
Leave a comment on this blog post answering the question, "What changes will you make to seize the moment (even if it means getting messy) and live life out loud?"

Giveaway Terms

One winner will be chosen using random.org. Giveaway closes at 5 p.m. PT on Monday, December 17, 2012. Click to see the official terms of this giveaway.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Shout^®, an SC Johnson Company. All opinions, tips, ideas, and information are my own.

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Jyl Johnson Pattee

An active part of the Mom It Forward team, Jyl primarily writes about parenting, social good, and all things travel related. In a past life, Jyl was an award-winning copywriter and designer of corporate training programs for Fortune 100 companies. Offline, Jyl is married to @TroyPattee; a mom to two teen boys and a beagle named #Hashtag; loves large amounts of cheese, dancing, and traveling; and lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Topping her bucket list is the goal to visit 50 countries by the time she's 50.