There are so many ingredients that go into making a Giangiulio Christmas. Dad fiddles with his train set as Mele Kalikimaka drifts through the downstairs and upstairs speakers. The ancient stockings are hung on the wire-rigged stone fireplace, the funky plastic mistletoes go over doorways, the tree is weighed down with its mismatched ornaments and an elaborate nativity scene comes to life underneath it all. Christmas day Anne usually dons the Santa costume with a pillow for a belly and Louis plays the accordion or piano. We all know the holiday is really about the cookies! Mom starts the day after Thanksgiving and makes a batch a day till about Christams Eve. This yields around 30 different types of cookies. They are all put in their tins or rubbermaid containers and stored in the big laundry room freezer (which gets locked if Louis is around). Here are just a few of those cookie recipes: