Did You Know The Legend of the Candy Cane?

One of my favorite Christmas items is the candy cane.  I remember my dad telling me The Legend of the Candy Cane sometime during the week that led up to Christmas.  We also read T'was the Night Before Christmas and the Story of Christ's birth from the bible.  After my brother died we added The Littlest Angel to the mix.  I remember always feeling sad when we read that story.  I thought it was written about my brother and I always had this image of my brother not wanting to meet the baby because he didn't have anything to give.  It is funny what kids come up with.  I loved the time spent with my dad, drinking hot chocolate, hearing stories, and learning about the Birth of the Baby Jesus. My mom would always be in the kitchen making cream cheese mints.  She would always let me have two to melt in my hot chocolate, or she would give me a candy cane to melt in the chocolate. 

Ingredients:

8 ounces soft cream cheese 

 6 tablespoons soft butter 

 3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract (NOT mint extract) 

2 pounds sifted powdered sugar 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

 3 drops red(or any other color) food coloring 

 Combine and push mint mixture into a pastry bag, icing syringe or squeeze bottle with a decorative tip. Create desired shapes for mints. Let set 1 hour.

When my own children were small we would decorate the Christmas tree, and after it was done we would place the Home Interior manger scene directly under the tree in it's special place.  We would play Christmas music, drink hot chocolate and sit with just Christmas lights on.  I miss those days of having small children and having my father here with me.  He would get as excited about the tree as I did.  I am blessed to have had many years of Christmases that I was able to share with my dad.