I send holiday cards... and edible gifts. It's something I've done for a few years now and it's a practice that makes me feel distinctly "adult." Each year I like to send my friends a small token of appreciation to show that I care. Also, I can make stuff. I tend to be known in my social circle as someone relatively crafty. So I do what I can to say, "hey, you're cool and I appreciate that you think I'm kinda cool too." Aside from the postage it is also relatively cheap. My mom likes to tell me, "You can pay with time. Or you can pay with money..." I choose to pay with time.

This year I made tea and cookie packets. I found a nice, stable (i.e. dried spices that keep and not rot) masala chai recipe in a book at the library. First I worked on making teabags.

MASALA CHAI SPICE MIX
2 Tbs cardamon
2 Tbs ground clove
2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbs ginger
1 Tbs pepper

CHAI TEABAG
2 tsp quality loose leaf black tea
1/8 tsp Masala chai spice mix







What kind of cookie goes well with tea? ANY KIND OF COOKIE! (That was a trick question.) I made brown sugar pecan shortbread cookies to go with my masala chai. I thought the warmth of the spices would go well with the carmel-esque undertones of the brown sugar. Also, who doesn't like pecans? It was pretty basic. Brown sugar, butter, pecans, and flour. Add cookie cutters and I had myself a decorative cookie!





Lastly, I crafted my own holiday cards. I made them using a 3-D effect (b/c 3-D is the new thing) and some twine for texture.