cookies and kids-tips

It's almost that time of year! I enjoy cookie-making, but it is always a bit stressful to do with all the kids so young. Every year Laura and I intend to have all the cookie dough baked the night before, so we only have to decorate and bake on "the day" but it just never seems to work out right. There's never enough time. One year Laura used an incorrectly copied recipie that put way too much salt in the cookies. We've had tantrums and marathon nursing babies cut our time short. Last year we ended up doing the dough and cookies on the same day and Laura ended up having to leave before we even finished all the decorating. We've broken mixers making all that dough! There's always a huge mess to clean up. It is a lot of work, but completely worth it as far as I'm concerned. I would like to leave my kids as many traditions as I can. I look forward to it, and I know Leanna does too. Justin's starting too. He remembers Christmas this year (Timothy doesn't yet). It's fun to do and leaves another happy memory (or at least pictures of a happy memory, even if they don't remember it). And it's time spent with family. Tonight I found an article on simple recipies and ideas for cookie making for kids, and also some tips readers left.

A couple thoughts from what I read in the comments:

The cookie-painting thing sounds fun. I think I'd like to try the ornament thing too-though not necesarily on the same day. The rice krispie treat wreaths sound like fun too. Laura and I have been wanting to try a gingerbread house. I still want to do that, but I think this is another good option: I have also found that decorating Christmas Trees (upside down ice cream cones coated with green frosting) is about 90% of the fun and 10% of the work of decorating gingerbread houses. What do you think Laura?
Also from the comments, this is so obvious, but I never thought of it: When using cookie cutters, fill each baking sheet with similarly-sized cookies--all big ones on one sheet, little ones on another, etc. This ensures that the little ones don't burn or get crisp while the big ones cook.
Another tip I thought was a usable one: Fruit leather & scissors lets kids make clothes for gingerbread men. My Mom uses her dehydrator to make fruit leather, fun and better for you than regular iceing! Maybe we can persuade her to make us some for cookie decorating (Hint, hint!).