Confessions of a Late-Night Baker

So yesterday I broke a year-long pact I made with myself... to not feel the need to bake lots of stuff for the holidays. I was doing great until my Kraft Food & Family magazine showed up. (If you would like to see what I'm talking about, check out their website.) In no time I was planning my holiday dishes and making mental notes about ingredients I needed to get.
Then my common sense took over. No! it said. The entire reason for avoiding this was because you are not hosting either holiday dinner, you wanted to save money, and you don't need all this stuff sitting around your house.
But I plan to give them to people.
Sure, just like you were going to last year, right?

Ok, so I'm a little addicted to baking new things that look absolutely luscious from the recipe. And I usually enjoy being able to make lots of things not just for me, but to share with other people. The more I thought about it, the sadder I got that I don't need to make the traditional holiday foods my family always had. I tell myself, I'll just make the sweet potato souffle for me and Steve. And maybe the broccoli casserole. And I love having leftover turkey, so we could just get a small one-- we won't be bringing home leftovers from his sister's. And what's Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie and there's also a new pumpkin pie recipe I wanted to try and we can't forget my husband's favorite stuffing and THERE I GO WANTING TO MAKE THE WHOLE MEAL AGAIN.
So at this point, my common sense still has a fighting chance. I'm going to the grocery store today and I am NOT stocking up my baking cabinet, or buying sweet potatoes or a turkey. And there are times when I have a clean kitchen and I think, this is the life! But then I look at the stack of glossy pages ripped out of my baking magazine, with their cute little gift wrapping ideas to match, and I think... wouldn't my visiting teachees just love those Christmas cookies?

Anyway, enough about my sad need for a baking fix. In the inspiring example of one of my good friend's blog, I am opening up a question to all my readers: What holiday dishes can you not go without? What foods make your holiday complete? And what are the recipes for said dishes? (Not that I would try them or anything...)