I can't help it. I always go overboard on the holiday baking. 

Even with the promise of a cookie exchange with the talented bakers at my office, I still can't hold myself to baking just a couple different treats.

This year, perhaps my most restrained of recent memory, I only baked chocolate crinkles, peanut butter blossoms, sugar cookies and made caramels, turtles and kahlua. My husband also made his Mom's orange bread... for good measure and because he was missing the flavors of home.

I brought only the chocolate crinkles and peanut butter blossoms to the office exchange this afternoon.... Now, I have mints, truffles, biscotti, chocolate peanut butter pinwheels, spritz cookies, cherry cheesecake cookies, bourbon balls and more. Here's a shot of the spread just before we started swapping cookies.

There is no reason I should be consuming these treats, but it makes me happy to have a tray full of goodies to share with friends and family.

What treats make it Christmas at your house?

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