Cookies are a big part of the holiday season. We all have our favorites along with those nostalgic family recipes. Usually when I bake a fresh batch, the family scarfs them up quickly, but I have clever, crafty way to preserve some of that holiday spirit — cookie ornaments.

I came up with this idea a few years ago when my mom-mom passed away. Every Christmas, she made pizzelle cookies and happened to make a batch right before she passed. I took a dozen of the cookies home with me, picked up some ribbon and spray sealant at the craft store and got to work.

To make the ornaments, simply pick out your favorite holiday cookie (pizzelle are good because they’re so simple and look like confectionery snowflakes). Then try the following steps:

- Line up the cookies on a large piece of cardboard in a single layer and spray one side of them with a coating of the sealant.
- Let the cookies dry overnight. The next day, flip each cookie and spray the other side; again, allowing them to dry overnight (or at least 8 hours).
- Poke small holes into the tops of each of the cookies with a needle and then thread a festive ribbon through the hole tying it at the top to create a loop.

The first year I made them, I gave the cookie ornaments to my family as small gifts in remembrance of my mom-mom. If you don’t have a sentimental cookie, you can use this technique with any cookie for a festive holiday décor idea.

Best of all, this is a definite calorie cutter because you aren’t actually eating the cookie!

To make your own pizzelle ornaments, here are some recipes to try:
• Pizzelle
• Traditional Italian Pizzelles