Inclusive Celebrations at USN: Christmas

By Ian Dinkins, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications

What’s the holiday? 
Christmas

When is it?
Wednesday, December 25, 2024

Background on Christmas
Christmas, celebrated on December 25, is a sacred Christian holiday and a worldwide cultural phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular. Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. 

According to The History Network, Easter was the main holiday in the early years of Christianity, and the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention a specific date so Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and England by the end of the sixth century. With the spread of Christianity beyond Europe and North America, the celebration of Christmas was transferred to societies throughout the non-Western world. In many of these countries, Christians are not the majority population, and, therefore, the religious holiday has become a cultural holiday. Christmas Day has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.

What are the traditions associated with Christmas?
On Christmas, Christians around the world attend church to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 

Popular customs also include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends, and waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. Each custom that Christians celebrate today dates back to a variety of traditions from around the world.

What is a recipe for a traditional holiday dish?
Christmas cookies are a popular holiday treat every year. Take a look at the recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction below, and let us know how your cookies turn out.

What you’ll need for the cookies:
  • 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes the flavor outstanding)
What you’ll need for the icing:
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (omit and replace with water for stark white icing)
  • 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
  • 5 Tablespoons room temperature water
  • pinch of salt
  • optional: gel food coloring & sprinkles for decorating
Baking Instructions
  • Make sure you have allotted enough time (and enough counter space!) to make these cookies. The cookie dough needs to chill, the cookies need to cool completely, and the icing needs 24 hours to set completely. If you want to enjoy it right away and hardened icing isn’t a concern, you’ll only need about 3–4 hours to do these.
  • Make the cookie dough: Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, using a handheld or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together at high speed until it is completely smooth and creamy for about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using), and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. The dough will be a bit soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 more Tablespoon of flour.
  • Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Place each portion onto a lightly floured parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick.
  • Lightly dust one of the rolled-out doughs with flour. Place a piece of parchment on top. (This prevents sticking.) Place the second rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours and up to 2 days.
  • Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2–3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. If it’s sticking to the bottom, run your hand under it to help remove it. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with the second piece of dough. (Note: It doesn’t seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.)
  • Arrange the cookies on baking sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake for 11–12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheet halfway through the baking time. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. There is no need to cover the cookies as they cool.
  • Make the icing: Using a fork, stir the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, corn syrup, and 4.5 Tablespoons (67ml) of water together in a medium bowl. It will be very thick and almost impossible to stir. Switch to a whisk and whisk in 1/2 Tablespoon (8ml) more water. If you lift the whisk and let the icing drizzle back into the bowl, the ribbon of icing will hold shape for a few seconds before melting back into the icing. That is when you know it’s the right consistency and is ready to use. If it’s too thick (sometimes it is), whisk in another 1/2 Tablespoon (8ml) of water or a little more until you reach the proper consistency.
  • If you’re tinting the icing another color, stir in the food coloring. If you're using multiple colors, you can pour some icing into different bowls. When tinting icing, use only 1–2 drops at first, stir it in, and add more as needed to reach your desired color. Remember, the color darkens as the icing dries.
  • Decorate the cookies: You can dip the cookies into the icing or use squeeze bottles or piping bags (reusable or disposable) fitted with piping tips. Decorate your cookies as desired. I usually outline cookies with icing first, then fill in the middle. If you add sprinkles on top of the icing, do so right after applying the icing.
  • Let the icing dry/set: Feel free to enjoy cookies before the icing completely dries. Icing dries in 24 hours. There is no need to cover the decorated cookies while waiting for the icing to set. If it’s helpful, decorate the cookies directly on a baking sheet so you can place the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator to help slightly speed up the icing setting. Once the icing has dried, these cookies are great for gifting or sending.
  • Cover and store decorated cookies for up to 5 days at room temperature or up to 10 days in the refrigerator.

The Office of Marketing & Communications is making a concerted effort to recognize the many holidays and cultural observances the USN community celebrates. Click here to let us know holidays and cultural observances you would like to help others in the USN community learn about this year. 
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