Some family members and I took it upon ourselves to make taffy today. We had this notion that around Christmas—or at least generally in the winter—was when the old-timey type people made taffy. I had a vague recollection of reading about it in a Laura Ingalls Wilder book or something when I was in grade school. So, we had to make taffy.

Actually, on our first attempt, all we made was a mistake. It turned out our candy thermometer was off by about seventy degrees or so, so instead of taffy we just had a big rock. So after calibrating the thermometer so it was only off by about forty degrees, we started over.

And hey! We got it to work! It tastes good and it’s the right texture and everything. Just like those Ingalls maybe did around Christmas or some other time! It’s amazing!

The important thing to remember is this: There is a reason people don’t make taffy at home anymore. It’s so tiring. My arms are sore from hours upon hours of pulling on candy. I’d like to just cut them off so I don’t have to feel them anymore.

But was it worth it? Of course it was! We maybe did something that might be a Christmas tradition, sort of! It’s what the holidays are all about.

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