Yes, you read that right - I'm running two days late on the Spotlight. I am so sorry, but one thing has led to another lately . . . painters were here a few weeks ago, which triggered a break in our old roof. The roofers came and replaced our roof, but messed up the painting that was just done, knocked off two gutters, and dumped debris into the kitchen stove vent. That debris, in turn, broke the hood fan, so another workman came to fix it and, in turn, inadvertently dumped all of the trapped debris on the stovetop and kitchen floor. I've been a couple of days cleaning up that mess . . . On top of this massive domino effect that's caused me to have nearly every style of workman in my house, nonstop, for the last month, my mom just moved into town, as you may know. The latter has prompted me and my husband to cancel our previous Christmas travel plans (which would have left me duty-free over the holidays) to be at home with my mother. As a result, I am now doing last-minute house-decorating and meal-planning to host the Christmas holiday here. Waaahhhh! 
While it's really nice to have the family all together, especially after such a big transition for my mom, I am finding so little time right now for much of anything cookie-related. Yet, there are so many great Christmas cookies being posted to the site as we speak that I just couldn't let another week go by without a Spotlight!
And so, here I am, bringing you this first-ever (and hopefully last) Monday Spotlight! What a gorgeous sight it is to behold! Please say congrats to the honorees on this week's hot list* as you scroll past each wonderful image below!
#1: Bird Cookie with Royal Icing Lace by Evelindecora
#2: Gingerbread Cute by Cláudia Dmytriw Pichek
#3: The Stockings Were Hung by LisaF
#4: Christmas Pals by Peg Redman
#5: Gingerbread House on Lighted Stand by Dixie Dust and Powdered Sugar
#6: Holiday Cheer by LisaF [EDITOR'S NOTE: Special congrats to @LisaF on her second mention of the week. I bow down to Lisa in admiration of her generosity. All of these splendidly decorated cookies and hundreds of others were donated to charity. ~JMU]
#7: Whip It! by The Vintage Cookie Jar [EDITOR'S NOTE: Congrats too to @The Vintage Cookie Jar for earning our coveted cover spot this week for her cute-as-can-be gingerbread baker! This cookie immediately put a smile on my face.]
#8: Blessed Christmas! by Heather Bruce Sosa
#9: Merry Christmas! by Ewa Kiszowara MOJE PIERNIKI
And, a wonderful Challenge #52 entry . . .
#10: A White Dream by Petra Florean [EDITOR'S NOTE: If you haven't yet entered our piped crochet challenge, you have until January 7 to do so. I highly recommend going for it - it's like taking a free master class with world-renowned challenge guest @Evelindecora. And, if you enter, you might just win a very special one-on-one hour with her! WOW! ~JMU]
As I come to the conclusion of this Spotlight, I am just now realizing that next Saturday is Christmas Eve. That being said, chances are good that you will see our second-ever Monday Spotlight on the 26th! If I don't talk to you before then, please have a wonderful holiday with your family and friends. And keep posting your stunning Christmas cookies in the meantime. While I may not have time to comment on every one, especially in this zanier-than-ever holiday season, I sure do love seeing them; they all have brought so much holiday cheer!
So that no one has an unfair advantage in making it onto a hot list, the algorithm is secret even to site administrators. Only our platform developers know the code, which has been exhaustively tested by those developers and Cookie Connection staff.
All photos shown here are the courtesy (and copyright) of the designers listed.
To check out our other hot lists, at any time of day, visit our Hot Spot, also found in the site's main navigation line.
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