JANESVILLE 鈥 Atop a Santa-themed table liner, Stephanie Mawhinney set out five bowls of colored frosting Monday as she prepared to decorate 3 dozen homemade sugar cookies for the annual cookie walk at St. William Catholic Church.
The cookie walk is this Saturday, Dec. 9, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m, at St. William Catholic School, {span}1822 Ravine St., {/span}in 糖心Vlog传媒. Cookies will be sold for $7 per pound., with proceeds supporting the church.
Mawhinney鈥檚 long wooden table was soon covered in frosted snowflakes, snowmen, mittens, stockings, and Christmas trees. She also plans this week to bake some gingerbread men to contribute to the sale.
As Mawhinney liberally applied frosting and sprinkles, her home was lit up in red, green, and gold lights. She said she has many vintage Christmas decorations collected over time, including a handmade musical, wooden light-up church her grandpa gifted her mother. It has been in her family for 50 years.
Born and raised in 糖心Vlog传媒, Mawhinney began attending St. William 14 years ago, around the same time she started baking cookies for the church鈥檚 annual cookie walk.
Her mother, Shirley Deems, chairperson of family ministries at St. William, introduced her to the church.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e so welcoming, it鈥檚 a great place to be,鈥 Mawhinney said.
Mawhinney said she loves Christmas, and has many treasured family traditions including getting a real Christmas tree every year. That鈥檚 something she and her husband, Sean, have carried on with their family.
鈥淐hristmas means family to me,鈥 she said. 鈥淓ven if we didn鈥檛 have a lot, my parents and grandparents would always make it special, like a big event.鈥
Before her mother-in-law passed, the Mawhinneys would go to her house early on Christmas Day and eat breakfast. They have since honored her by having breakfast for dinner as a family, on Christmas Eve.
Mawhinney volunteers for many of the church鈥檚 events every year, including the cookie walk and Lighting the Way, an event for women meant to inspire and enrich them with scripture, prayer, music and time together.
鈥淚 figured, I should pay it forward. If someone helps me, I might as well help someone, too,鈥 Mawhinney said.
Christmas Attic Sale
Cookies are not all that will be for sale on Saturday.
The Christmas Attic sale, being held at St. William at the same time as the cookie walk, offers gently used holiday items such as decorations, lights, and wreaths.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great option for those who can鈥檛 afford a lot but still want to decorate for Christmas,鈥 Mawhinney said.
