Up All Night

Sugar and spice and ...

Oh, the sweets of Christmas. Know how I knew Christmas was coming, and soon, at Mama's house?

Ribbon candy, vanilla creme drops, gum drops, wedding cookies, cheese wafers...

Mama had quite the sweet tooth and she believed hospitality meant,  'what would you like to drink?'

During the week or so before the holiday she began shopping for the expected family and company: cheeses,  party crackers (Sociables), Pepperidge Farm Party Rolls, pecans, walnuts, rum, bourbon, eggnog.

For the life of me I cannot remember where she bought the Christmas candies. But it was not Christmas without thin, I mean almost sheer, ribbon candy. She had a particular dish for it and it was always placed on the sideboard.

I preferred Peanutbutter Pillows and Peppermint Straws.  They had their candy dishes as well.  The Peanutbutter Pillows were golden brown satiny, sweet puffy hardened squares filled with soft peanutbutter. 

The Peppermint Straws were traditional red and white striped hard candy that melted immediately into a smooth minty filling. They looked like miniature bed pillows dressed up with festive pillow cases.

Sugar coated gum drops of all colors were poured into its designated candy dish, with a quantity reserved to craft gumdrop trees from green styrofoam cones, toothpicks and candies.

All of the candies were kept in the Butler's Pantry, along with the alcohol.

Mama did not bake much, only her rum cake,  but rather shopped at the local bakery for holiday treats which included her favorite, cheese wafers. Mrs. Erkert's bakery was an institution on Colley Avenue for specialty cookies and bread, birthday cakes and wedding cakes.

Fortunately that bakery hung on long enough for me to be able to walk my children up there for gingerbread men during their toddler Christmases.

These memories and more came rushing forward as soon as I saw the Gingerbread and Peppermint Suite during the July - December Mini Catalog preview back in June. Needless to say, I pre-ordered it immediately (always a perk of being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator!). And now it is finally time to start whipping up a few holiday cards and gifts with the items in the suite. See them all on pages 8 - 10 in the Mini Catalog.

Just like a pastry chef, you can 'pipe icing' on your cards using Embossing Paste (see Annual Catalog page 128), Snowy White Velvet Specialty Paper (p. 37 in the Mini), White Stampin' Ink  (p.129 in the AC); put on your white apron and toque and start mixing!

Order any or all of the items right from Shop Now on this website.

AND, order the entire suite before October 31 and I will treat you to a gift of gingerbread goodies  ~ I  will deliver or mail!

Please use this month's Host Code for your orders: MBKPGVWA.

The card above, inspired by SU Demonstrator Brian King, will be included in November's Christmas Card Buffet on Monday and Tuesday 8 and 9; to-go options available, as well.

Let's stamp!

And tell me, us, some of your favorite holiday goodies.