As an awkward, buck-toothed middle-schooler, I anxiously awaited the opportunity to help my mom bake cookies, my favorite Christmas dessert, every December. Up until that point, my “help” was almost exclusively constituted by watching Mom do all of the work and gleefully putting the finishing touches on the cookies after they came out of the oven.

I’m no sous chef, and my culinary contributions were disasters waiting to happen. Accidentally putting in salt instead of sugar, unwittingly using the tablespoon instead of the teaspoon…you get the idea.

But despite my almost perpetual failure, Mom encouraged me. Patiently and with great care, she taught me the tricks of the trade. Year after year, we baked a delicious array of goodies, from peanut butter kisses to snowman-shaped sugar cookies to snickerdoodles (my personal favorite).

My level of kitchen expertise has improved slightly since then, but my mom and I still bake Christmas cookies together every year.

Now the Companion wants to hear from you. What’s your favorite holiday food—and why? Any and all responses are welcomed, valued, and encouraged.

Answer in the comment section below, on the CovMagazine Facebook page, or e-mail Cathy Norman Peterson at cathy.normanpeterson@covchurch.org. We’ll publish a selection of your responses in the November/December issue. Please include your name, church, and town where you live.