I used to make these cookies every Christmas for gifts (and myself), and I would often tell people, "Here -- these are the best cookies in the world."

Interestingly, I haven't made these cookies in years, for two reasons:

1) If I make them, I will be forced to eat large amounts of them;
2) I just can't bring myself to pour an entire cup of corn syrup into something that people will ingest (maybe I should try it with honey ... or try the corn syrup alternative in the video below)

Babe Ruth Bar Cookies

(aka "The Best Cookies in the World")

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup (or honey??)

1 cup chunky peanut butter

6 cups Special K cereal

1 6-oz package butterscotch chips

1 6-oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips

1) Combine sugar and corn syrup in saucepan over medium heat and bring to boil, stirring occasionally.

2) Remove from heat, then add peanut butter and mix well.

3) Stir in cereal until evenly coated, then press the mixture into  9x13 buttered pan.

4) Cool.

5) Melt chips over double boiler, stirring to blend thoroughly.

6) Spread over the cooled mixture, let cool again, then cut into bars.


Well, look at this! Here's a video on how to make your own substitute for corn syrup.

How to Make Substitute for Corn Syrup

For us, Christmas cookies are one of the hallmarks of Christmas.

I baked Christmas cookies with my mother when I was growing up, and my children make Christmas cookies every year with me. We bake cookies, decorate cookies, give cookies as gifts, and eat cookies while we drive through neighborhoods after dark looking at Christmas lights.

Of course angels, stars, trees, and snowmen make great cookies -- and I certainly wouldn't ever complain if anybody offered me any! But if you're feeling particularly festive and creative and want something a little more unique, you could add one or more of these Wilton cookie-cutter kits to your collection.

I think my favorite kit is the one one the right. I never would have thought of making a Christmas cookie shaped like a stocking or a wreath, but what a great idea! They seem to lend themselves to a lot of decorating ideas -- you could even put someone's name or initials on the stocking cookie!

I am terrible at wrapping gifts.
Just terrible!

Either I cut waaay too much wrapping paper, or I over-cut just enough so that there's a spot on the back that's uncovered (causing me to start all over again.) My wrapping paper folds are usually crooked.

And don't even get me started on the corners!

Lately, my usual solution to this problem is to get either my husband or one of my daughters to wrap all gifts for me.

Another obvious solution which I sometimes use is -- gift bags!

Gift bags are great because
a) They require no effort or skill to wrap a gift, and you completely avoid the dreaded corners;
b) They can be reused again and again.

I found these three holiday bags, all with different themes -- candy canes, snowmen, and Disney fairies. I particularly like the snowman bags. They look like something you could use not only for gifts, but also just for toting things around during the holiday season.