Hello Neighbor,
One morning last week as I strolled back to my car amidst the lingering yellow and red leaves, I breathed deeply, inhaling the cinnamon and nutmeg wafting through the air from the open windows of the old church kitchen. Raisin sprinkled gingerbread cookies baked warm and toasty in the oven, a result of the little hands that rolled, cut and made with love at my daughter’s preschool’s annual gingerbread cookie bake. This tradition is one of my absolute favorite things about her school, and I’m so grateful that we’ve been a part of it for the past two years. The tradition and its origin are just the neatest, most heartwarming story.
My daughter’s preschool is the oldest church supported school program in Pennsylvania, established in 1948. In 1966, the tradition of Thanksgiving baking began with the preschool purchasing Vienna Loaves from Wonder Bread in Norristown. The loaves were baked and served at the school’s Thanksgiving program. The following year, gingerbread dough was added to the tradition, purchased at Mueller’s Bakery on Brookline Boulevard in Havertown (owned by one of the schoolteacher’s fathers). The school continued to purchase dough each year from Mueller’s until 1983, when the bakery closed. With the closing, the school began a new tradition – the preschool began making the dough from scratch, using the recipe of one of the schoolteachers’ mom, Betty. To this day, at 92 years old, Betty is still an active member of the church and to this day, the preschool is using her recipe for its beloved gingerbread cookie bake. In 1984, the preschool asked school and church families to make and contribute the dough from Betty’s recipe and that tradition has continued since.
This holiday season favorite has grown over the years to include all the children in the preschool (even the littlest of the littles). Parents are also now invited to the old church kitchen, to help bake and enjoy heartwarming moments with their children.
The cookies are served at the reception following the preschool Thanksgiving program, which is the cutest show full of prayer, songs and grateful declarations from the children (my daughter was thankful for the squirrels). Parents, grandparents, teachers, staff and the children gather after the program to enjoy the gingerbread treats amidst conversation and holiday well-wishing.
Thanksgiving is such a wonderful time of year, and it often feels overlooked in the rush toward trees, lights, shopping and all of the other delights of the holiday season. I’m so grateful for the church and preschool, Betty’s recipe and this beautiful, long-standing Thanksgiving tradition steeped in both history and love.
Warm Regards,
Kim