News from the Nest, December 11
Good Morning from North Carolina, USA!
We are home after a fantastic, very full, two-week trip down the Rhine River. While I’ll never pass an opportunity to visit another Christmas Market, I can safely cross that off of my bucket list. If pressed, I could count the number of markets we attended, but it would take some time.
It was a perfect trip in all ways! We met some wonderful people with whom we hope to remain in contact, we casually meandered down so many beyond charming alleyways, we ate well, we wondered at the grandeur of architecture of old, and we filled our hearts with the spirit of Christmas. AND…I scored a great deal of unique, useful, or tasty stocking stuffers…no small feat.
When I sent my last email, we had visited Amsterdam and Dordrecht in the Netherlands, and Mannheim, Rudesheim, Koblenz, and Cologne in Germany. After that, we stopped at Strasbourg, Colmar, and Riquewihr in France and ended our trip in Basel, Switzerland.
It started snowing the day we were in Strasbourg, which just made everything even more perfect!
Table of Contents
The first two pictures are from Colmar and the last four are from Riquewihr, both right along the France/Germany border.
We loved Basel and would love to go back and spend more time in the area. These were from our very last night on the trip, a perfect ending.
In the newsletters from the last 2 weeks, I shared some photos as we went along, but I realized I didn’t share some that I wanted to from our first days in Amsterdam. We visited the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, which houses the Nightwatchman by Rembrandt. This 400-year-old painting, Rembrandt’s most popular and iconic work, has been undergoing restoration for the past 4 years, with many more to go. The museum constructed a glass room around the very large painting so that restoration could continue while still allowing patrons to view the painting and the restoration. I found this fascinating and could’ve stood and watched for quite some time.
Well, that’s the end of the travelog! Thanks for indulging me and my photos. A few of you have reached out to ask specifics about our trip and I am very happy to answer and share our experiences. In general, as I said before, this was our first Viking cruise and we found it the perfect travel ‘sampler.’ We typically rent an Airbnb in a part of town to immerse ourselves in the area. This was the total opposite of that, which isn’t good or bad…just different. I can see us doing a bit of both going forward.
In our past mode of travel, a good deal of work was required upfront to decide where to stay, what to visit, where to eat, etc… It was quite lovely to have that all decided for you. And not having to pack and unpack along the way can’t be overstated.
Eleven Christmas Cookie Recipes!
Speaking of samplers, here’s a Christmas Cookie sampler for you! I think we have a Christmas cookie for every taste. I’ve sorted them by easiest to make to more involved.
- First things first, check out these Baking Tips for the Very Best Cookies.
- Simply put, this Amaretti cookie recipe will surely become a holiday staple in your home. Not only are they quick and easy to make, but they are also very delicious. That I can have two dozen of these easy soft Amaretti Cookies baked, start to finish, in under an hour is a big plus. Make a double recipe of these almond cookies and tuck some into gift bags to give this holiday. They travel well and you can freeze the dough and bake when ready.
- If you are looking for an easy-to-make and fun recipe for Christmas Cookies, this Snow-Covered Coconut Christmas Tree Cookies Recipe is just the thing. The dusting of ‘snow’ and a sprinkling of edible gold stars make these coconut cookies just a little more bougie. These Coconut Christmas trees are gluten-free and a good cookie to make with younger cooks.
- While not gingersnappy-crisp, these adorable little Gingerbread Button cookies are slightly crisp on the edge, though still soft in the middle. The combination of molasses and dark-brown sugar gives them that perfect ‘tooth’. But, the deliciousness of this cookie is totally outweighed by their cute factor! I mean, really!
- These Anise cookies are easy to make with readily available ingredients. Typically sprinkled with multi-color nonpareils, I opted to stick with red and green for the holiday season.
- These Crunchy and Chewy Molasses Crinkle Cookies have been baked every Holiday Season for the past 25 years. I can’t imagine celebrating the holidays without several dozen of these chewy cookies baked and waiting to be enjoyed. They have easily been one of our family’s favorite cookies for quite a long time. Do you see those cracks? Those cracks tell you that your soft molasses cookies also have a crunchy exterior enveloping the interior chewy texture, the Gold Standard of Molasses Crinkle Cookies. As a side note…see that table runner under that plate of cookies? I purchased that runner when I was in Riquewihr twelve years ago in a brocante/antique shop. I looked for the shop on this trip and may have found it.
- These Pennsylvania Dutch Chocolate Cookies are the magical combination of a chewy middle with a crisp exterior…sheer cookie bliss in my book. They are rich with chocolate but have just a tad of cinnamon that surprises your taste buds. Are you sold yet? I have no idea what makes them ‘Pennsylvania Dutch,’ that’s what my Grandma called them and that’s what’s on the recipe card, so there you go!
- This glazed Ginger Molasses cookie recipe is the perfect combination of crisp and spicy and is easily a family favorite. Fresh ginger, crystallized ginger, and ginger powder really up the zing in these cookies. If you want crisp gingersnaps, this is your recipe.
- This Mini Mincemeat Tart recipe is a lovely twist on a classic British dessert. Just like a mini mincemeat pie recipe, it’s a fun take on a timeless classic.
- Lightly spiced Linzer cookies are sublime when paired with this luscious pear caramel filling.
- These Chocolate Sugar Cookies sandwich a chocolate ganache and raspberry filling. ‘Tie’ a ribbon around the cookie package to turn these filled sandwich cookies into darling little ‘presents.’
- This Mini Chocolate Cranberry Tarts recipe is an easy-to-make yet festive dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas Time. And these mini chocolate tarts are made even more stunning when topped with sugared cranberries.
More Gift Ideas
If you missed it, last week we shared some gift ideas for knitters, gift ideas for guys who like to cook, and totally useful stocking stuffers for cooks. But wait, there’s more!
- First of all, make sure to check out this post on HOW TO SAVE MONEY BUYING GIFTS!
- I just updated this list of Great Gifts for Travelers to include some items we used and appreciated on this trip.
- I’ve gathered a variety of craft kits that might appeal to that creative person on your list who has everything but…still would like to learn a craft skill. Check out these 11 Gift Ideas for Creatives.
Winter Knit Projects
What are your knitting plans for the upcoming long winter days? (for my friends in the Southern Hemisphere, what are your plans to avoid the heat and stay indoors in AC?)
- Quick Knits; perfect to keep you occupied when traveling.
- Cable and Twist Hat
- Potholders, one knit, and one crochet
- Washcloths or Dishcloths
- Longer Knit Projects
Take Care of Yourself!
It’s easy to get run down this time of the year.
- Check out this post with seven tips on how to reduce your stress over the holidays.
- Remember to treat your body well, too! Make a batch of these lemon ginger cubes to reset your digestive system each morning. Add mint and honey for a knock-off of Starbucks Medicine Ball tea.
Some Favorites and Few Fun Finds
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- We learned this game on the trip with some of our new friends and I immediately ordered it so we could play it with our family over the holidays, as well as our Game Night Friends.
- I actually just bought one of these and gave it to my husband to give to me for Christmas. Does anyone else do that too?
- I love these clear, double-walled coffee and tea cups!
- Ring Video Doorbells are 45% off right now.
- Oh my heavens, these Santa buttons!!! If you have a little one in your world, you NEED to get one of these. Over the years, my husband and I did all sorts of things to keep the magic of Santa alive.
One year, we made Santa footprints out of flour that led from the fireplace to the Christmas tree. The kiddos were very young, and it was supposed to look like snow. It was all fine and well until our pup licked all the flour on the flour, which turned it into flour paste. We had to get the carpets cleaned to get the footprints out! 🤣
Then there was the year it was raining, and my we sprinkled water over the carpet to leave the impression that we had just missed Santa!
But the very best was the year we bought our daughter a hamster for Christmas. If you’ve had hamsters, you know that they are very active at night. So, in the middle of the night of Christmas Eve, little Buttercup (as he would soon be named) was getting his exercise in his cage in our room. Our daughter woke up, came downstairs into our bedroom for something, heard the noise, and immediately knew that it was Santa on the roof. She high-tailed it back to bed so quickly and was a believer for several more years!
Well, my friends, my list is so long and I just don’t know where to start. So, my first order of business will be to start a list.
Have a fantastic day!
Hugs,
