Cookie Decorating

Back in 1960 five nine year old girls decided to form a little 'do gooder' club which they called 'The Saanich Secret Helpers Society'.  They held meetings and discussed how they to raise money to help people who were less fortunate.  They collected bottles, raked leaves, sold raffle tickets (the prize was a jigsaw puzzle). 

They held a bake sale outside our local grocery store - we mothers rising to the occasion with our ovens going full blast.  I recall them putting on some kind of play for the children at Queen Alexandra Solarium, they also wrote stories which they produced in multiple copies with the use of a gestetner machine (anyone remember those?).  By the time Christmas arrived, they were able to present a needy family with a turkey and box of Japanese oranges.

In time these little girls grew up and some moved away from Victoria for a time, but the seed of wanting to be together at Christmas, and to do good to others, remained.  In the early 1970's, a more 'mature' group began meeting each Christmas to decorate cookies, many of which were given away to various organizations and families. 

  

Each December since then, pretty much the same group, with a few additions, gather together at our home for the annual cookie-decorating party.  My daughter Terry makes the cookie dough.  She and I roll and cut out the cookies, ready for the decorators' arrival.

We supply the participants, now in their 60's, with coloured egg yolk and paint brushes, as well as 

wine and goodies to nibble on when the cookies are all baked.

The 'girls' drink wine and chat and turn out the most fabulous creations - it's almost a shame to eat these cookies.

This year, the cookies will be given to a group of especially needy and genuinely hungry students who rarely have a taste of home-made goodies.

This group of lovely ladies also fills gift bags for homeless women.  They each bring an assortment of items such as scarves, socks, toiletries, gift certificates for places like Tim Horton's, and this year something beautiful and more personal - handmade earrings.

Miller loves give the filled bags a final inspection.

I make sure our house is fully decorated, the heat is turned up (!), the fireplace is glowing and some gentle Christmas music is playing in the background.  

 It is such a pleasant experience to be part of this annual gathering, the seed for which was planted so many years ago by those little nine year old girls.