If you can't beat 'em...

I find myself a bit jaded this time of year. It seems like Christmas is on everybody's minds.. especially in the foodie world. Christmas cake, mincemeat, suet, fondant icing, aggghhhhh. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that I don't celebrate Christmas... actually, it definitely has to do with that. But, any reason why people would be compelled to discuss the holiday ad nauseum for two straight months, sometimes even three, is beyond me. And it is like EVERYONE thinks that just because they celebrate Christmas that you must also.. No, we don't all celebrate Christmas. See, there are people called Jews and Muslims and they don't eat Christmas cake and wake up at 5am the day after Thanksgiving to get the best deals on presents. Ah, deep breath.

But I also have to come to the reality that Christmas is a big holiday, and more importantly, my husband is not Jewish. Although not a devout Catholic, he does acknowledge Jesus and all that jazz. :) So, I jumped on the Christmas reindeer-wagon and made gingerbread muffins!!! Rafa is working Christmas and Christmas Eve. We're not going to do anything festive-y, but we did put up our tiny tree (above) and I did make muffins, Nigella's recipe, because it is that time of year.

The muffins are fab, by the way. Soft and sticky. They are great a few minutes out of the oven but so awesome a day or two afterwards. So good!

Peace on Earth and love of ALL men (and women!).