Christmas 2025 will be in a few days as I write this. This year, our family will gather on Christmas Day. What a joy it is to me when we can be with our loved ones. Let us remember the reason for the season. Our Savior Jesus Christ was born.
Today, Dec. 22, is my husband Joe’s 57th birthday. He had to work today and again tomorrow. Then he’ll be off the rest of the week. I made Christmas cookies and decorated them for him to treat his co-workers. Daughter Elizabeth told me that when 3-year-old Andrea found Timothy’s (TJ) candles for his birthday cake, she said, “Mom, these are the blessings that TJ will blow out.” So sweet!
We attended the school’s Christmas program on Thursday night. Eight of our 15 grandchildren were in the program. Their faces light up when they see us there. It doesn’t seem that long ago when it was our children in the program, and now it’s their children. Unbelievable!
Since my last letter, we have butchered pork. We butchered two pigs. One was for us and one for Daniel Ray and Verena. Some of our married children and Daniel Ray’s parents assisted us with the pork butchering. The tenderloin, pork loin, pork steaks, ham, and bacon are cut out, and the meat is cut into smaller pieces for the grinder to grind into sausage.
The bones are trimmed, then put into the big black kettle outside over the open fire to cook off the meat. The lard is cut into small pieces and rendered in another big black kettle outside. The juice and the meat from the bones are used to make Pon Hoss. Some of the sausage is canned, but the majority is bagged for the freezer.
On Friday, Joe and I attended the wedding of our neighbor’s son, Phillip, and Sara Sue. It was a cold, windy, snowy day! The wedding services were held under a big tent. They had a lot of heaters, but that wind seemed to find its way into the tent. We all had our coats on during the service. Needless to say, we were all glad when it was time to go inside the warm pole barn where the tables were set to eat a delicious meal. The coffee tasted extra good! We wish the couple a happy married life!
On Dec. 16, we were invited to our neighbors, David and Barbara, for a Christmas dinner. They invited the older couples, widows and widowers from the three surrounding church districts. We were served a delicious meal.
They had some younger couples bring snacks and sing Christmas songs for us after supper — so many goodies. We were sent home with a plate of goodies. It was an enjoyable night. On Sunday, our church held its annual Christmas potluck after the services. Christmas songs were sung afterwards.
Brooklyn, 4 months, daughter of Daniel and Lovina, still isn’t sure about the German songs we sing at church. She keeps making a pouty face like she’s going to cry when we sing. So cute!
Kylie, daughter of Dustin and Loretta, is taking her first steps. She will be 1 year old on Jan. 4. Her older brothers get excited when she tries something new. Kylie loves to try to wake her brothers when they are napping if she gets a chance.
The snow is almost all gone, except for the piles on the sides of the drive. For me, I’m fine with not having more, but we all know that won’t be true. We will accept whatever God sends to us.
This week, I’ll share the recipe my daughters and I use to make cutout cookies. It’s Sour Cream Cutout cookies. The dough is easy to handle. I mixed the dough a few days before and refrigerated it until I found time to bake and decorate them.
From our house to yours. We wish you a blessed Christmas and a time well spent with your loved ones. May God bless your families and bring you much love in the new year 2026. Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones and are spending the holidays without their dear ones. May God give you peace and comfort. God’s blessings.
Sour Cream Cutout Cookies
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup butter, room temperature
• ½ cup butter flavored shortening
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 5 to 6 cups flour
Combine sugar, butter, and shortening, then add eggs and sour cream and mix well.
Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla to the creamed mixture. Gradually add flour. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Roll out on a floured board and use your desired cutout shapes. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350°F for eight to 10 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. Use your favorite frosting to decorate the cookies.
Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, “The Cherished Table,” “The Essential Amish Cookbook,” and “Amish Family Recipes,” are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply. Or email questionsforlovina@gmail.com and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.
Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her three cookbooks, “The Cherished Table,” “The Essential Amish Cookbook,” and “Amish Family Recipes,” are available wherever books are sold. Readers can write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091. Please include a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply. Or email questionsforlovina@gmail.com and your message will be passed on to her to read. She does not personally respond to emails.
Dining and Cooking