HO HO HO and MERRY MERRY: Decorating for the Holiday

Ho Ho Ho and Hooray - now we have the ornaments and lights on the second tree! Grandpa, my jolly old elf, did the tree by himself! I was taking that much needed long-winter’s nap. It looks great although I had to explain that he needed to also decorate the back and the sides of the tree– it’s in a corner window – not just the front.

I also put up a Victorian Village which took about a million feet of cords to plug them all in. You should have seen the gauge spin on the electric meter when I turned them on. It made Grandpa right dizzy as dollars danced through his wallet to the electric company. So, now the house is all decorated and it really looks fine – maybe I can just leave it like this for next year?

Here's where you can help me out: I need your shopping suggestions of gifts for the grandkids. Jolly old elf asked me to remind you that I’m a grandma of many so the toys should be inexpensive. The kids are ages 5 through 10. My nine year old granddaughter is a phenomenal artist...ideas, anyone?

I’d also like to make up some cookie dough ahead of time then refrigerate it and decorate cookies with the kids when they arrive. The cookies can’t contain milk or butter or I need to be able to use rice milk or non-dairy margarine as a substitute. Recipes, anyone?  

Be sure to enter the Patch's Deck the House Holiday contest!