Last year, oppressed by boredom and the bleak lack of a social life, I decided to throw a winter party. It was inspired by Design Mom’s “Host a Hot Cocoa Bar!” minus the spontaneity. Planning got me excited, and since the boys were no longer the energy-draining infant and toddler duo they had been, hosting wasn’t as much of a challenge. In 2016, we pulled it off and lived on the high for days afterward.

This year we did it again. We added some formality, some new decorations, and baked for the gluten-free and dairy-free exceptions. We took notes for next year… the friends don’t seem to mind this becoming a tradition.

Favourite recipes include; jam-filled cookies, all-butter oatmeal cookies, gingerbread shape cookies, vegan chocolate-chip, dark-chocolate macaroons, nanaimo bars, and rice crispies.