When it’s time to put up the Christmas tree every year, I must confess that it does not have a theme or a dominant color palette. And I don’t even hang the same ornaments every year. Oh, there are a few favorites, like those that remind me of special people and events, new babies, and beloved pets. The final touch always involves hanging a lot of long crystal ice cycles that twinkle as they reflect the tiny lights that wind around the tree. Each year the tree looks familiar, but slightly different. But there’s always a tree at Christmas.

Several years ago I bought some old-fashioned tin animal cookie cutters in a local antique store with no real idea in mind of how I’d use them. They were larger than I normally use, but I liked their shapes and the variety of animals. I finally brought them out for my “Christmas Comes to the Zoo” project and they became some of my favorite shapes ever.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day festival that involves food, prayer, dancing, oil, candles...and cookies, of course!