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ARchived aRticle

women share the 'sweet life' on cookie day

Story and photos by LIZ QUIRIN
Messenger editor

Women began arriving at Rosie Stewart’s home in Marissa before and after 9 a.m. on a late November morning carrying pans and containers filled with cookie dough.

It was the annual cookie-bake-day, and members of this large family have been gathering for one day of baking for more than 30 years.

They don their aprons — most of them say “Cookies” — and begin spooning dough onto pans for baking in one of the two ovens Rosie has at her home.

The baking day began when Rosie and her sisters and sister-in-law began meeting for the day to share time, meals, conversation, and by the end of the day, lots of cookies.

“We brought flour, sugar,” all the ingredients, and “we would be there all night baking cookies,” she said.
Soon nieces and daughters-in-law became involved in the cookie day, including a few friends who “drift in” during the day. Probably 20 or more people would be involved in the baking, Rosie said.

The day has been “streamlined” to some extent, Rosie said, with the bakers bringing their cookie dough already made up so that the time can be spent in the baking, and it doesn’t take all night.
Faith Clark, a niece from Columbia who had heard about the cookie day for many years was  participating for the first time this year. “We have a beautiful family,” she said.

Another niece was expected to arrive from Indianapolis, Ind., for the baking day.
As the women arrived and donned their aprons, they caught up with family news. One niece was waiting for a liver transplant, and many prayers were being offered for her. They spoke about a fund-raiser for another person who needed help with bills.

The day would continue with conversation and later, a gift exchange with “strings.”
During the day certain words were selected that could not be said — like oven and cookie among them — or the speaker could have her gift  “stolen” by another.

At the end of the day, Rosie said, some cookies have been sampled, and many shared among the bakers and other family members to be enjoyed at Christmas.