Growing up near my Scandinavian grandparents, Valborg Lynnea and Rangwald Carl, meant our family celebrations were always a Smorgasbord. Salty fish, smoked fish, sour fish, I loved it all. Christmas Eve was big, with the large family descending on their egg ranch where Nana had been baking for weeks filling shirt boxes with fattigmann, sandkakor, rosettes, spritz and an array of others. I've made my share of these cookies for my own family, but now with just two of us in the house my cookie making days are few and far between. But today I made Spritz! Martha was on in the background the other day and she was making these precious little jewels, and remembering I had offered to bring cookies to a party, I dug out my cookie press. The recipe is basic and easy, here is Martha's, but cookie presses are not created equal. I've had many and disliked many and have settled on Marcato as my favorite for it's ease of use.

I'm feeling nostalgic and energetic and may bake my favorite, sandkakor or my son's favorite, kransekaka, hopefully both!

I wish you all a very merry Christmas!