"Julie" was shopping downtown last week, during a particularly cold and snowy day, when she spotted a fellow with no coat. She whipped her coat off and gave it to him, he thanked her, and she noticed that his English was pretty heavily accented and learned that he had just moved to this country.

It wasn't until she got home that she realized (with no small amount of horror) that she had left a cashier's check for $10,000.00 -- the cummulative efforts of a fundraising group she had been working with to contribute to her kids' school-- in the pocket. Yeah, that's right, ten grand in the pocket. And it was the weekend, so there was no way to stop the check until Monday, which she did.

On Tuesday she received the check by registered mail. She hadn't given him her name, but he found some item in the coat that he used to track her down. And he parted with cash I'm sure he didn't have enough of to make sure it got to her.

Isn't that the coolest thing? I think this may be my new favorite Season-of-Giving story.

Since we all like pics, I'll include a couple of the not yet decorated elves (an annual tradition), since this is the first year of elves in the new kitchen and house, and to try to make this a little less off-topic:

Thanks again to you all, and happy holidays!

Tis the season!!

:-)

Oh-- and there's one cookie there with the eyes just a little off center, just to the right of the knife block. :-)

We only give away the perfect ones- got to eat the rest!

Gagesgranny, I bet gage would love them: My family usually devours a lot of them before they make it to cookie day. Recipe is simple (these started out life as candy canes but I made the dough too dry the first year and they wouldn't roll well, so the elves were born):

1 cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 c) butter
Whip those together.

Add:

2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
vanilla
almond flavor
red food color for the second batch

Whip all that together. Change beaters to something heavy duty and add about 3 cups of flour. Stick it in the fridge overnight. I usually double the recipe. Actually I usually try to triple it and it overflows my kitchenaid mixer (the small one). Now I have a note on the recipe to only double it.

At this point you can make candy canes by rolling and twisting, or make elves. For the elves (or grinches if you use green) I cut up little pieces of red dough (or big pieces if kids are making them: It's easier for them to handle) and roll them into balls and put them on the cookie sheet. When I have a bunch on the sheet I flatten them a bit with my palm and sometimes pinch them with thumbs and forefingers to make a nose. I use the handle end of a spoon to indent the mouth, or the handle end of the crab picker to make a singing mouth. The fork end of the crab picker makes the smiliest eyes, but the handle end works fine. I'm sure there are multiple implements in our old and new kitchens that would work!

Then I cut a piece of white dough (a good sized hunk) and tear off bits for hair or noses or hats or whatever and stick them on (you don't have to press, just put it on and the baking will make it stay). You can put some faces together and make them sing (round wide open mouths), or make a pirate (white patch and a beard) or whatever suits your fancy.

They bake for about 8 minutes at 350. They are best when there is no browning, just done.

I use white icing (little tubes) to add teeth--this makes them look a little goofy or more lifelike or usually both-- and a dot of blue or green for eyes in the holes (you don't want to totally fill the hole if you can help it or they look like zombies, a nice variation for Halloween but less appreciated at this time of year).

Marthavila, thanks for the wishes (and hoping your aga arrives soon!)!