Memphis, Tennessee

Cooper-Young

Max, right, watches Christmas videos with his cousins Lily, left, and Forrest, center. This is the first of several holiday parties.

There is an old holiday tradition in my son-in-law Brian's family. Each year they break out molds, bake and decorate Santa Claus and Christmas Tree shaped cookies. Shannon, center, works on a mold while Brian's mother Beverly, left, and sister-in-law Amy look on. There is much discussion between them on how the cookies should be rolled and patted so that they don't become too hard.

Brian prepares potato soup  — he is a wonderful cook and everyone looks forward to his creations — for the evening meal and ...

... puts out the condiments to add to it.

The cousins are excited. There are three computers in the house this evening. They can play the interactive internet game, Club Penguin, all at the same time and watch what each other is doing on their individual screens. Max's computer is in another room so he dashes back and forth checking on Forest and Lily while their mother Amy assists Forrest.

The cookies are finally out of the oven. Everyone begins decorating them with food coloring, icing, sprinkles and coconut. 

Beverly and Shannon finish decorating the last of the cookies. There is a family joke that while the cookies are pretty, they are hard and not very good. I disagree. I think they are great.

At the end of the evening after dinner, Max plays Christmas music while gifts are exchanged.

Photographed with a Leica M8