Homeschool Holiday Traditions and Memories

In keeping with the season I thought I would write today about homeschool holiday traditions and memories we have made through the years. This post would be best with lots of photographs, but I don't have as many photos as I wish I had of the things I am remembering.

One huge tradition we had in our homeschool, particularly when all our courses were at home (no co-op classes, no high school classes outside the home, etc.) was to schedule all our class plans so that we could take the entire month of December off of academic subjects.

We liked to spend the month Christmas presents, doing Christmas crafts and special art projects, and doing lots of baking that everyone helped with.

I started a tradition of making a pair of flannel pajamas or a nightgown for the kids each year.

One baking item we would make was "Candy Cane Stocking" cookies. Starting with a batch of butter cookie batter, split the batch in half. Using red food color, color one half red. Form 1"-2" balls of each color. Taking one red and one white (really they were butter-yellow) ball, roll each ball gently into a snake about 6-7" long. Place the snakes together and gently twist together to form a candy cane shape and place on baking sheet. Follow baking instructions and remove to cooling racks. These are a nice change and are a nice addition to a plate of cookie varieties to give as a gift.

We also liked to make chocolate-dipped bars. Basically you make the recipe for toll-house or butter cookies (without chips or nuts in the batter). Shape into bars that are 3/4" X 2", and bake following directions (350 degrees for ten minutes?). Cool on racks. Chop walnuts and set aside in a bowl. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler with 1 Tbsp. Cricso. Dip each bar in chocolate (about 1" on one end of bar) and while chocolate is still wet dip in chopped walnuts, then set on waxed paper for chocolate to harden. I love that one.

We always loved to make chocolate chip cookies, and Snickerdoodles was another favorite. And how could I forget!... Peanut butter kiss cookies! 

And I have a special recipe you won't find nowadays, but it was my favorite as a kid: Peanut Butter Scotchies!
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Peanut Butter Scotchies

6 oz. bag butterscotch chips
1 cup smooth or crunchy peanut butter
2 cups Rice Krispies

Line 9" square pan with waxed paper. In a 2 quart pot over low heat, melt butterscotch chips. Add peanut butter and stir until peanut butter melts and mix is smooth. Turn off heat. Pour Rice Krispies into peanut butter mix and stir until well mixed. Fold into 9"X9" square pan and use rubber spatula to push into corners and smooth the top. Place in refrigerator until firm, about 3 hours.

Cut into 3" squares, or desired size. You can also melt chocolate chips and "ice" top with chocolate. These are SO GOOD! 

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One of my favorite projects we ever did was gingerbread handprint Christmas tree ornaments.

On cardboard, trace one handprint of each child and cut out, with a straight line across at the wrist.

Using a gingerbread cookie recipe, make a batch of dough. Roll out about 1/4" thick. Place a handprint template on dough and cut out handprint by going around outside of template with a butter knife. Gently move to baking sheet. Use a straw to make a hole on each ornament near the wrist. Bake following cookie directions; cool on a wrack.

We used an icing recipe from a magazine that used egg whites, powdered sugar and food coloring. They were awesome and they were beautiful. Unfortunately no photographs. They were easily broken, and the ones that didn't get broken... the dog ate. Seriously. ::sigh::

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It became a tradition to make a gingerbread house each year.

We also tried to take one family photo each year. Our oldest was no longer in the home for this one, and was not home for the photo.

So those are some of our family Christmas traditions. How about your family?

This post is linked up with the weekly Schoolhouse Review Crew Weekly Link-Up. Click below to see more posts on Christmas traditions.