I’ve just about got my holiday cooking and baking planned. Our holiday commitments look like this:
December 19th Eidos Christmas Party; the day I get to go into the city to do all my Christmas Shopping and grocery shopping. We’re boarding the dog at a local kennel recommended by a friend for the day.
December 23rd Adam & Karine’s annual Christmas party where we will hopefully get to see everyone. We’re bringing the dog with us (Note to self: double check with Karine that this is OK).
December 25th Stasiuk family Christmas at Taras’ cousin’s house. We’re leaving the dog at home in his crate for the afternoon (4 to 5 hours).
December 27th Stasiuks come to us for Stasiuk Family Christmas Mark II. So that they can meet Carter and so that Taras’ brother and sister-in-law can see our new house.
December 28th Wright family Christmas at my mother’s house. My father is coming home from the nursing home for the day, and we’re bringing the dog with us to my mother’s.
December 29th I take my Ontario driving test in Hawksbury. We need to find time between now & then so that we can go to Hawksbury so I can drive around it for a bit, to practice ‘city’ driving. I’m great on snowy, icy, country roads with deer running across the road in front of me. However I need a refresher on how to deal with traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, and parallel parking.
Menus, etc.
This is most of what I will be making both to take with us and to serve to Taras’ family when they come here (the baking will be done on the 22nd and 23rd, and the rest of the food on the 24th and 26th):
Baking
Shortbread cookies
Ginger cookies
Peanut butter cookies
Chocolate-walnut brownies
Mince tarts
Cinnamon rolls
Mini lemon-poppyseed muffins
Apple cake
Other cooking1
Coleslaw
Sweet potato salad
Pasta salad
Vegepate
Bread (I will try to bake one sweet and one savory)
Quiche
Bean casserole2
Pork roast
1 This list subject to change based on what Taras’ cousin and my mother ask us to bring.
2 Taras’ brother and sister-in-law are vegetarians, hence the slightly larger than usual emphasis on non-meat dishes
Boughten food
Pate, and possibly some cheese
Juice, beer
out here 
I did my holiday baking the first weekend in December because traditional xmas cookies are actually better when aged a week or two. I make shortbread, gingerbread, and cheesies. All delicious immediately, but also good for a couple months. I think this must be why certain recipes are traditional at xmas because they are easy to make well in advance.
Allison: I thought about doing some of the baking earlier (i.e. last week or this week), but unfortunately my family’s traditional shortbread cookie recipe doesn’t keep for more than a week (the cookies go soft). It’s a “no cornstarch” shortbread recipe which is unusual, but not unique to us – my friend Ceri’s family shortbread recipe is very similar! I could have done some of the other cookies, but willpower is in short supply out here these days, and I was afraid that far too many would disappear long before the holidays.
Gosh, I’m exhausted just reading your schedule and baking plans! Sounds like fun though.