A family family tradition has been to bake Christmas cookies together. It gives everyone a reason to get together prior to the holidays. Each family will bring two or three of their favorite cookie recipes and then everyone gives a hand mixing the batter and baking. Sampling is permitted. We usually bake more than our appetites can sustain over the holidays…except for M&M cookies, which are my favorite.
My wife and I decided to continue the tradition here in France with of course French Christmas cookies. Her region of Alsace has a strong Christmas tradition that includes a wide variety of delicious cookies. My wife's aunt was the queen of bredeles. She set a high standard, baking a wide variety of cookies and quantities that you think could only be produced by a commercial bakery. I had the opportunity to try her cookies a few years ago when I visited my wife’s family over Christmas. Prior to returning to the U.S., my wife's aunt gave me a bag of her cookies that lasted no more than two days. 
Needlesstosay, I was stoked when my wife suggested that we bake bredeles. My wife has a couple bredele cookbooks so we choose 9 different types of cookies to bake. The cookbooks are in French with Alsatian names like Schkola Schpirale, Labkierchle Zengle, and Schwobebredle. Fortunately, correct pronunciation was not a prerequisite to baking them. We baked coconut, gingerbread, sugar, jelly, and other cookies. It took us almost an entire day but we finished with a nice variety and plenty of cookies. Now the best part begins…sharing and eating them! 
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