1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

36 miniature pretzels

1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting, divided

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Brown paste food coloring

18 yellow Life Savers

10 green Life Savers, crushed

Decorating gels

In a small mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar; beat in egg. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Set aside 1/2 cup of dough; divide remaining dough into three portions.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a 6-in. circle; cut each into six wedges. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets.
For angel heads, roll teaspoonfuls of reserved dough into 18 balls; lightly press onto pointed end of each wedge. Press a pretzel into each side for wings.
Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
For hair, in a small mixing bowl, beat 1/4 cup vanilla frosting and confectioners' sugar until smooth; tint with food coloring. Press dough through a garlic press. Trim strands to desired length; place on heads. For halos, attach yellow Life Savers.
Frost gowns with remaining frosting; sprinkle with crushed Life Savers. Use decorating gels to add faces.

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup molasses

1 egg, beaten

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Miniature chocolate chips

Red decorating frosting

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and molasses. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a large mixing bowl; let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and cloves; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
Shape dough into eight balls, 2 in. each; eight balls, 1 in. each; 32 balls, 1/2 in. each; and 16 balls, 3/8 in. each. Place the 2-in. balls on three foil-lined baking sheets for the body of eight bears; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Position 1-in. balls for heads; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Attach four 1/2-in. balls to each bear for arms and legs. Attach two 3/8-in. balls for ears. Add chocolate chips for eyes, nose and buttons.
Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing to wire racks to cool completely. With frosting, pipe bows on bears.

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided

3 tablespoons milk, divided

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract, divided

6 drops red food coloring, divided

140 milk chocolate M&M's (about 2/3 cup)

56 almond slices (about 4 teaspoons)

56 brown M&M's miniature baking bits (about 1 tablespoon)

28 red M&M's miniature baking bits (about 1-1/2 teaspoons)

In a small bowl, beat cookie dough and flour until combined. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 1-3/4-in. x 3-1/4-in. diamond cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.
For one batch of glaze, in a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, 4-1/2 teaspoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon extract. Remove 1 tablespoon glaze to another bowl. Tint remaining glaze with 3 drops food coloring.
Working with one cookie at a time, spread red glaze over top half of cookie. Place one M&M at top for tassel and four M&M's across edge of glaze for hat brim. For ears, place two almonds above M&M's on each end. Dip baking bits in plain glaze; place brown bits on cookie for eyes and a red bit for nose. Repeat with 13 more cookies.
Make second batch of glaze with remaining confectioners' sugar, milk, extract and food coloring. Decorate remaining cookies as above. 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cookie dough, flour and extract until smooth. Divide dough in half; mix food coloring into one portion.
Shape 1 teaspoon of white dough into a 6-in. rope. Shape 1 teaspoon of red dough into a 6-in. rope. Place ropes side by side; press together lightly and twist.
Place on an ungreased baking sheet; curve top of cookie to form handle of cane. Repeat with remaining dough, placing cookies 2 in. apart on baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 2 minutes before carefully removing to wire racks.

2 eggs

1/4 cup canola oil

Sugar

ICING:

2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Assorted food coloring, optional

In a large bowl, beat the cake mix, eggs and oil until blended. Roll into 1-in. balls; place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until tops are set. Lightly press a 1-1/2-in. cookie cutter onto cookies making a slight indentation. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
In a small bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar and enough milk to achieve a drizzling consistency. Tint with food coloring if desired. Place icing in a small heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Carefully pipe icing into indentations. 

Red and yellow paste or gel food coloring

40 vanilla wafers

20 peppermint patties

1 teaspoon corn syrup

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Place 1/4 cup frosting in each of two small bowls. Tint one red and the other yellow. Frost the bottoms of 20 vanilla wafers yellow; top with a peppermint patty. Spread with red frosting. Brush tops of the remaining vanilla wafers with corn syrup; sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place over red frosting.