Merry Christmas to all!

Last year, we invested in a small feather tree from Michael's because my parents (well, mostly my dad) don't have the time or energy to decorate a fresh tree when Leslie and I are in L.A.  It kind of looks like a light-up feather duster, but I still love it.  The majority of our ornaments are in the garage and don't fit on this mini tree, but I put up a few from my Auntie Mamie and my friend Jennifer.

Besides rocking out to some of Justin Bieber's holiday songs (I can't believe I'm saying that, but it's the sad truth), I've been busy documenting the food-and-cookie-making madness at the Ho household.  In a nutshell, my thesis is about food and storytelling; family stories can be preserved and shared through the process of preparing, cooking, and eating food.

My mom made a turkey to compensate for my absence at Thanksgiving, and I used the bones to make congee.  It's topped with a Chinese donut (yao tiew) for dipping.

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, fresh from the oven (I immediately devoured four).

Cranberry and Raisin Scones

No-bake Sweet Potato Pumpkin Pie

Butterscotch Peanut Bar

Chocolate Sandwich Cookie with Chocolate Strawberry Filling

My mom's famous Ice Cream Cookies filled with Peach Preserve.  The ice cream is in the dough, and the cookie is melt-in-your-mouth smooth.

Alfajores

Chocolate Cool Whip Cookies getting ready to be placed in the oven

Peanut Butter Coconut Macaroons

Not pictured: Green Tea Mochi Cupcakes with Red Bean Filling, Sesame Bar...I have videos of all the cookies, but I forgot to take pictures.  There were so many cookies that my mom had to use a huge Coach box and a large priority mail box in order to transport them to my aunt's place.

By the end of the night, my aunts and uncles had snatched up all the leftovers in their Tupperware.  My cousin compared the scene to Black Friday.

Spending Christmas at my Auntie Mamie's house is always a treat because it is insanely festive!  Plus she has cool trinkets and statues like this one of an angel playing the flute.  She said it reminded her of me :)

Arianna is proud to stand next to one that she likens to herself- a little girl blowing bubbles.  

When my mom used to work at Marshall Field's, she bought a few decorations to add to my aunt's Christmas village including a functional skating rink.  My mom also gave her a reindeer ornament to add her to extravagant collection. 

I shot the footage for this last year, but I didn't have time to finish editing it until this December.  Enjoy!