2013 Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest

 Ever since I was little, my family and I would decorate cookies each Christmas.  It's a family tradition that I will always remember with fondness.
When I got married, the tradition continued at my house.  We have also added a competitive spin to things.  Each year, after the last m&m has been perfectly laid and after the last sprinkles have been meticulously sprinkled across colorful icing, Tony peruses our artful edibles and selects three winners.  The first place winner wins....well, nothing - except rights to brag the entire year.
As always, the competition was fierce.

 Whatever helps the creative juices flow is allowed, including:

 Decorating in your PJs...

 And singing and "conducing" Christmas carols.

This year's cookie entries.

If I was a betting woman, I would have put money on the reindeer at the left corner (with all the m&ms).  Incidentally, this was my best entry, calculated for a sure win.  In the past that has been how Tony decides the winning cookie - the one with the most m&ms wins.  One thing I should remember about my husband, though, is that he does not like to be predictable.  So this year the winner was not the one with the most m&ms (and I would have lost my bet).  Third place went to the Christmas tree in the middle (the one with the most m&ms).  Second place went to the strange cookie off to the far right - the one that looks like a snail.  And the winner of the 2013 Christmas Cookie Decorating Contest was the sleigh on the bottom left.  I  like to call it the psychedelic sleigh.  Alas, I lost again, and my mom claims the right to brag about her expert cookie decorating skills.  

Caleb gets the Best Baby Award because he napped the entire time during all of this commotion.  He's already served notice, however, that next year he plans on joining all the fun.