Christmas baking

A friend of mine asked me on FB today "I know you don't really do sweets so much but i'm on a 'thinkin' about Baking Cookies' binge. Wondering if you could suggest traditional Christmas cookies or other treats from the places you've lived?" She specified that she was asking friends in quite a few different countries, in hopes of getting a good mix. Having taken the time to find some on the computer, and type in others, I thought I would post them here, too.

First the ones mom always made, that her mom also always made:

( Blond Brownies )

( Grandma’s sugar cookies )

( Peanut Bars )

( Soft Molasses cookies )

( Christmas Wreath )

Now on to the ones I have picked up in my travels:
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First one of my favourites, from Eugene Oregon, from some SCA friends (Marion and Raven)

( Ginger Cookies )

This next one is from my sister's travels--from when she was an exchange student in Finland--her host family made these, and I am told they are common throughout Finland:

( “Joulutorttu” )

The next one I call "St. Gildas Biscuits", because I got the recipe from some of the students in the SCA college of St. Gildas (University of Tasmania). I think that they just called them "Vanilla Biscuits" They can be cut into shapes and frosted and decorated, like sugar cookies, but I like them best dusted with cinnamon. I still make them often, and they are the most requested cookie from David.

( St. Gildas Biscuits )

Here is another really yummy Australian cookie. Crian's mum makes them for Christmas:

( Melting Moments )

Here is one I invented while I was living in Australia, because one of our friends was gluten intolerant. These are so yummy I still make them often, even when I have no gluten intolerant people to help me eat them:

( Gluten-free almond & coconut biscuits )

And from Sweden, THE classic Christmas cookie that everyone eats here, and all of the stores carry many varieties of store-bought versions:

( Pepparkakor )

My all-time favourite Christmas food, ever, is the Swedish Risalmalta. A desert, not a cookie, but it is the gift of the gods, so I will share on this list anyway.

( Risalmalta )

Of course, having typed all this up I now feel like it would be good to bake something this week. I hope that someone comes over for my birthday fika next Sunday to eat whatever I wind up making...