It's the start of crunch time for me (and many others, I'm sure)! There are a lot of cookies to be made and mailed, and a limited time to complete them. I feel like a sugar athlete! Since I tend to use a lot of royal icing transfers, I've made some pretty elaborate spreadsheets this year. I'm hoping they will keep me on schedule, while enabling me to still enjoy the decorating process. We'll see see how things play out over the next several weeks. Things can go sideways pretty quickly in my household! But, right now, I'm optimistic.
My outlook stems, to no small degree, from the wonderful assistance of Cookie Connection. Not only does it have a constant stream of decorating ideas, it also has a wide variety of helpful information. The blogs, forums, and chats offer so many pointers and useful hints. There is something here for everyone, regardless of their skill level. If I get stuck with my decorating, I'm pretty sure the site will bail me out!
Variety is also the theme of this week's hot list*. Though certainly focused on the holidays, the following featured cookies display so many delightful representations. Lucky us! Let's get to it.
#1: More Frosted Leaves by Icingsugarkeks (This set is the second entry in Watch-Learn-Create Challenge #55 and also the second submission by @Icingsugarkeks. You can check out Gabi's other entry, which is also trending, here. And don't forget to check out @Inspirations by Carmen Urbano's informative challenge kickoff video and the challenge rules. The challenge offers three great prizes this time, and, as always, it is a risk-free way to stretch decorating skills. So why not give it a try?! 
)
#2: Gingerbread Cathedral by SugarKaties (This elegant structure was posted almost nine years ago and is trending once again. Congratulations, @SugarKaties!)
#3: Thanksgiving Turkeys by Zeena (@Zeena captured so much seasonal whimsy with this Thanksgiving set.)
#4: Ginger Boy and Girl by Alison Friedli (This extra large duo is so delightful that Julia and I decided to feature it as this week's cover art. Great job, @Alison Friedli.)
#5: Winter Birds Wreath by Bakerloo Station (First posted seven years ago, this charming cookie array is trending again with good reason. Absolutely stunning, @Bakerloo Station!)
#6: Mr. & Mrs. Claus by The Vintage Cookie Jar (I can't say enough about this cozy set. I mean, just look at those darling slippers! And you know what?! You too can make these cookies, because @The Vintage Cookie Jar sells these cutters. If you'd like to purchase them, tag her below or PM her on her Cookie Connection member profile.)
#7: My Santas by Dotusia (@Dotusia has given us both cuteness and consistency in this adorable set. Ho-ho-ho! What an impressive number of Santas!)
#8: Shabby Chic Bird House by Petra Florean (Yet another bird is getting ready for Christmas in @Petra Florean's richly textured creation! Well done, Petra!)
#9: Lace Bells and Star by Bożena Aleksandrow (Perfect and precise, just like Bożena's other cookies that are featured in this month's site banner and backdrop! To learn more about Bożena, our very talented December 2023 site artist, check out this forum post. Phenomenal piping, @Bożena Aleksandrow!)
#10: Little Face Christmas Cookies by Ana Borja (Soooo much cuteness here, @Ana Borja.)
How about that?! I hope this Spotlight has helped kick your Christmas creativity into overdrive. The clock is definitely ticking, my friends!
I hope everyone has a safe, peaceful, and productive week . . . with a healthy dose of ho-ho-ho!
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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Lisa Foss is a hobbyist cookie decorator. After careers in corporate communications and freelance writing, she focused her attention on the nonprofit sector. She spent more than a decade at various soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and prison reentry programs throughout New York City. Lisa’s cookie journey began in 2011 when she started making gingerbread houses. After getting a handle on construction, she focused on improving her decorating skills through books, videos, and online tutorials. This exploration brought her to Cookie Connection, which has provided her with an incredible community to learn from and grow with. Though she enjoys making cookies for family and friends, Lisa’s main focus is cookies for charity.
For more information about Lisa and her work, please check out her Facebook and Instagram pages.
Byline photo credit: Shutterstock
Note: Saturday Spotlight is a weekly Cookie Connection blog feature written alternately by Lisa Foss and Julia M. Usher. Its primary intent is to cast a spotlight on the week's top-trending cookie posts, as determined automatically by the site algorithms described above. This article expresses the views of the author, and not necessarily those of this site, its owners, its administrators, or its employees. To see all of Cookie Connection's past Saturday Spotlights, click here.
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