My biggest complaint about the season involves all the "should" pressure that we heap upon ourselves. Be it baking or shopping and general gift giving, and a thousand other societal pressures that we have kidded ourselves into thinking are necessary.

Obviously I say Don't Bake! Try something new this year. Check out a new bakery and try something you have never had before. But don't beat yourself up!

I'm trying to lose a pound. :0) But I'll still bake a pecan pie....maybe next Sunday.

Other than a batch of cookies I made to take to a party last weekend, no baking here :-) But then I will be away over Christmas, along with the rest of the family so really no need.

I really love the little mincemeat pies as well and they are normally a usual part of my Christmas baking routine. This year I treated myself to packaged Glenfiddich mini mince pies - only 6 in the package - but they were sensational!! Doling them out slowly to savor the moment as long as possible :-)

ETA: jarred mincemeat keeps a long time :-) If you don't use it now, it will be waiting and just as good when you do.

I had great intentions, but I have so much to do this week that I don’t think I will have any time for baking.

I always make cheeseballs, chocolate candy & a carrot cake from scratch. But not this year. I did good getting a tree up & getting the Christmas cards done. So you are not alone!

Schoolhouse,

The goodness of baking lasts all year long. Why not wait until the cookie ingredients are calling out to you from the pantry and you can enjoy?

I for one would not turn down a luscious home baked cookie in January, or in May for that matter. In fact, you could hold a 'late to the party' gathering next summer and ask everyone to bring Christmas cookies. That would be a cherished memory for decades, to all who were invited.

I buy None Such mincemeat in a jar and it will make six mini pies if I stretch it, so I end up buying two jars and using only a cup or so from the second jar. This Fall I threw the rest of the second jar out. I wonder if I needed to? It always seems to still look edible. Around here it's $6.99 a jar, keeps going up every year I think.

ETA: we posted at the same time Lucille. :) Well, I really do like iced cut out Christmas cookies at Christmas time, but I could always use different cutters beyond that. ha Good idea, thanks.

If you don't feel like baking, don't bake. Life is too short to make ourselves do things we don't want to do just because we think we are obligated to do them.

Next time the baking bug strikes, make those little pies whether that's sometime in the next couple of days or not until July. They are always good no matter what time of year you make them. I like Lucille's earlier suggestion about having a late to the party gathering. Maybe you could do a "Christmas in July" get together with friends or neighbors. You could even draw names, set a limit of $10 and exchange gifts.

We did this one year with some relatives who lived out of the country and whom we never saw at Christmas time. It is one of the best Christmas memories I have.

Unless someone is counting on it, bake at your own pleasure. Now, a week from now, a month or two from now. My own gumption has been a bit slow this season, I think because our weather has been unseasonably warm and dry. I need at least a bit of cold and snow to get me in the mood for holiday treats.

Me, I'm not! Wish I had someone to bake for, miss it! I do feel like I ought to, but it's just me and I don't need it.

If it isn't fun, I don't do it. Since my experience with cancer, I will do what I will enjoy. Life is too short to put artificial pressure on yourself.

"I need at least a bit of cold and snow to get me in the mood for holiday treats."

Yes, me too nickel, could be part of my baking blahs.

Well......since I was nearly out of flour and sugar anyway, I just got back from shopping in case I feel like pie baking. Oh, and bought a dozen eggs except when I got home I saw that I had already bought a doz. the other day. :( so now I have 2 1/2 doz. eggs. For sure - no cookies, I'll buy some if I want them.

Thanks for the support!

It just seems obligatory but it's crazy. It's too warm here today to bake...almost 60 but I will tomorrow. It's just the two of us and I don't bake cookies any other time of the year and frankly, don't eat many desserts. I used to bake cranberry loaves , at least three until one year I threw some out. So I stopped that. Just like I stopped buying presents for everyone except the little ones.

I know what you mean. I do that with whatever is pressing at me all the time. However if I go ahead and "make" myself complete a task it makes me feel good. I've been putting off wrapping presents for several days and I know if it was out of the way I would feel so much better. Of course at our age we can do only what we want to and that's ok too.

I am not in the spirit either Schoolhouse......even with family coming Boxing Day,I still am "not feeling it".....I have done some shortbread cookies & late last night I did some butterscotch squares......today I was out for a bit & bought some marshmallows to do rice krispie squares.....still not sure if I should even bother.

Grandkids and my son LOVE this stuff-that isnt the issue-its the "step" mother that says they can't have the sweets....the way they all move,there is definitely no fear of them not burning it all off.....

Good luck with your blahs....

I used to make mincemeat foldover cookies, cookies with ground almonds, gingerbread men, etc. After my mother died, my heart wasn't in it anymore. Now I go to the Italian bakery and buy their fancy cookies.

I need to do a little baking, but I'll wait until later in the week. My roadblock this year is decorating. I haven't. DH doesn't care, and with less than a week to go, it seems a little pointless. I have adorned the kitchen window with the cards that have come in, and there is a box of candy canes on the counter from somewhere. Otherwise, it could be any time of year in my house. Meh, it'll probably stay that way.

I spread it out. I need to make dough for pie crust and freeze it so I have it when I need it. I've bought the ingredients, but haven't yet had a day with time and motivation. I could make cookies too. DD may beat me to it which is also ok.

When my son was small, I missed out on watching him play with his gifts because I was in the kitchen making brunch and a big dinner. One year I decided to make our turkey dinner on New Year's Day instead and do a simple meal on Christmas. There are no other pressures and nothing to do on New Year's anyway, so I enjoyed a day of cooking.

don't think i've ever had mince meat pie?? would be up for trying though.

i usually make holiday cookies, but this year, less than optimal use of left arm/hand makes even getting dough out of KA mixer bowl a big challenge. i chocolate dipped everything this year... graham crackers, pretzels, Nilla wafers, etc.

I just do the traditional sugar cookies. But, I have to say I enjoy eating them, and the fact that DH really likes them, (and of course both my DD"s) but, I really do not enjoy rolling out all that dough. It is back breaking.

I am not in the baking mode either. I usually bake 10--12 varieties of cookies and fruit cake all in the week before Christmas. Last year because of my sister's death and no motivation I bought cookies from a friend who is a professional baker out of town so I had something to bring to my family over the holidays. I didn't bake or order cookies this year but I might have to bake something for Christmas day to bring to my brother's house. Maybe shortbread because it is so easy to make or butter tarts

About 20min. ago, my neighbor brought me a big plate of cookies! There are many varieties, look so good. She said she's had bronchitis for three weeks, just getting over it so hadn't baked. Her husband did the baking! Now THERE'S a solution, only I'd have to get married......naw. : )

I've done some candy making for a work thing but other than that I haven't been doing any baking. I wrapped up the last of the Christmas shopping today so maybe the baking bug will bite sometime this week; but probably will be limited to dessert for Christmas dinner.

I do like to have "something" if somebody drops by. I mean like cookies or a simple dessert.

I usually do a shipload of cookies and other baked goods every year. This year I also had the blahs (must be an epidemic :-) ) and couldn't get motivated. Then I just made myself get going and before you knew it, I was enjoying the process and it's pretty well all done now, and I have heaps of cookies to give away. I'm glad I pushed through the blahs. You might be too :-)

I never bake at any time but I've been thinking about making something with a holiday theme. All of the recipe threads have inspired me (not that I need any desserts).

Pie dough is in the fridge resting. I'll light the old Magic Chef oven in a half hour or so (takes the ole' girl a bit to get up to temp). Then comes the part I guess I really don't anticipate when baking - rolling out the pie dough. I try my best to take it slow, roll from center out, between plastic wrap sometimes, etc., still have ragged edges and will need to patch. The dough is buttery and short, so it's to be expected. I have a marble dough board that really helps.

Pies in the oven. Whew, made me a tired! But I feel better now. lol

Out of the oven: Merry Christmas!

Schoolhouse, what are the decorations on top of your pies? Did you just dye pie crust and shape it?

Yes, it's dough that I colored with food coloring. I have some cookie cutters in little leaf shapes and one is a holly leaf. The "berries" I just roll into balls. I cut them a little thick this year and boy did they spread a bit. Those are some big holly berries!

Anyone have any good tips on coloring dough? I use my hands to knead after putting drops of color on, and of course end up with a mess.

Those are beautiful!

Very pretty little pies!

Gorgeous!

I rarely bake but was going to make a cheesecake. Wimped out and bought a frozen mascarpone cheesecake at Aldi today. We had it several years ago and it was wonderful with a nice lemony taste to it.

>>Anyone have any good tips on coloring dough? I use my hands to knead
after putting drops of color on, and of course end up with a mess.<<

Wear disposable gloves. I have a box in the kitchen cupboard for all those messy jobs. Good for cutting up chillies as well.

Well now that's the best solution, why didn't I think of that? Thank you!

I baked yesterday: A pecan pie & a turkey pot pie.

Schoolhouse, those look awesome! What a neat idea to decorate them that way.

schoolhouse-Looks like the spirit to do some holiday baking has moved you. :) I'm thinking you're feeling pretty good about it too. They look pretty and yummy.

nicole- very nice. Love pecan pie.

Turkey pot pie.....mmmmmm.