major tradition in our house...behold, the chocolate dipped pretzels!  we make about 4 thousand 9 hundred and 52 of them. you like that? big numbers spelled out for dramatic purposes? thoughtchya might.  we give these out every year wrapped in cute cello bags with nifty bows or in mason jars with personalized labels. they are the perfect gift for peeps like teachers, dentists, neighbours, etc that you wanna give a little salty sweet tasty something to that says, "happy holly daze"  OR to give along side of a proper gift to someone you love.  i do them with the kids and listen to old jazzy christmas tunes. oh songza, how i love you and your clever mixes to match any moment.  i bet there's a mix titled "songs to dip pretzels in chocolate to".  

anyhoozles, these are soooo easy and fun.  buy Snyder's pretzel rods and carefully snap them in half.  the rough edge will be the one you dip in chocolate.  you'll need parchment paper to lay them on after you dip them in melted chocolate and also an assortment of garnishes to sprinkle on them.  the more the merrier.   i usually get red, white and green sprinkles just for some colour pops but love things like smoked sea salt, crushed or slivered toasted almonds, coconut, crushed candy canes, and applewood smoked bacon bits (wow, just thought of that one-i don't even really eat bacon-go nuts guys!).  melt chocolate (bakers, chips, fine, cheap, just use whatchyu want. i like semi sweet and white for these in different batches) down in a double broiler (aka one pot filled with a couple of inches of boiling water with a bowl that sits on top).  if you have it, add a spoon of coconut oil to the chocolate. do not substitute with a different oil.  i find it helps it coat easier and isn't as thick.  carefully dip each pretzel one by one about halfway and coat half of it.  try and let it drip as much off before you lay it down on the parchment paper.   sprinkle toppings before the chocolate drys and package just as cut as you can.

I know, I know...it's winter now, what can we do but stay at home where it's nice and cozy.  There is lots, actually.  You just need to be more creative.  For instance, embrace the cold.  Get all layered up, fill those thermoses up with hot cocoa, meet a friend at the beach, for a hike, or at a park and go take pictures of ice, puddles, snow, or whatever weather you gotz going on where you live.  It is awesome to breath crisp cold air and get the kidlets outside for a bit because at the end of it...you get to come home, take a hot bath and cozy on up to take a look at the pictures you took and the memories you made.  The framed images make for a cool prezzie for the friends you go with the following Christmas.

Meet Lorijah. We call him Loji. I have to keep him caged up because his cuteness just might take over the world. He is my imaginationary deluxoid. I can't stop taking pictures of him. He does a lot of art, cooking, crafting, and playing with me, so you'll see a lot of him here.  

What's really goin on in this pic is that I walked into the room not noticing he had somehow got himself into my favorite birdcage (I have a bunch, yes) until he started chirping.  He then said, "Mommy, pretend you are in the pet shop and you are looking for the cutest bird you ever saw!" True story.