The Christmas Tea and the Carmel Corn

Good Morning.  Tonight is our church's ladies Christmas Tea.  This is the first year I am involved in it and I am so blessed to be a part of it.  I did do something that while I do not regret, I definitely did not think through.  We were in a planning meeting, what we were going to do, who was going to speak etc, and we came up with the idea of everyone having a little treat to take home with them.  Nice.  I volunteered to make carmel corn and put it into little bags for every seat.  Sounds simple, I make homemade carmel corn every Christmas for neighbors, teachers, etc. etc., and I enjoy doing it.  Simple enough right?  That was until we sold more than 100 tickets.  Seriously, that is so much carmel corn.  But I persevered.

I started Saturday with the intention of it being carmel corn day.  But wait, the boys want to go play football with our youth group, they need a ride and have to be picked up.  I did get one batch in between the dropping off and the picking up.  I was figuring 20-25 bags of carmel corn per batch.  Wrong.  I only got 15-18 bags per batch.  Some quick math and I knew I would be cooking carmel corn all day.  Fine.  I am so good with that, I will decorate a little in the house for Christmas, and make my carmel corn.

Carmel corn, while it seems simple, needs to be stirred every fifteen minutes for one hour to be completed.  I do not have double ovens, one stove, one oven, one batch, one day.  I wanted the corn to be fresh so of course I could not make it before the weekend before the event.  One batch at a time, I plugged away.  I came to dread the timer going off.  It became confusing, was this the first or the second time I had stirred the corn?  Was this the last batch or the next to last?  Was I ever going to enjoy this again?  

I truly enjoy Christmas baking.  I love homemade gifts, they make the holidays.  I love it.  I could not allow this to become a chore.  I would not do it.  By the time the last batch was bagged, I realized that it was worth it.  Okay, I snarled if the kids wanted a taste, I have to make 120 bags, they could have eaten well over 50 if I let them.  I did let them have the crumbs, which at the end of every batch was about a bowl full.  A small warning, carmel coating, when hot will stick to you like glue, if you get some on your finger, make sure you have flicked it off before you put your finger in your mouth, or you will burn both body parts.  Also, you cannot stick your finger and your mouth under cold running water at the same time.  You can, but the whole kitchen will get soaked.

As the holidays approach, what task or tasks are we all coming to dread?  Make it fun, sing a song off key, get the kids involved, make your hubby join.  I truly enjoyed making carmel corn and will make more for all the friends and family.  In a season filled with consumerism, make something from the heart.  And no swearing, have  a cheerful heart.

What is your family's favorite homemade treat for the holidays?

God Bless you and yours.