Of all the holiday traditions, trimming the tree must be my favorite.  My mother and I still spend hours decorating the tree together.  We love looking through all of the ornaments we’ve collected throughout the years.  Each one of them brings us back to a family gathering, a place we’ve travelled, a slice of our lives.

This year, Nick and I bought an disproportionately large Noble Fir for our house.  With its thick branches and dense leaves, the green monster measures about seven feet tall and four feet wide.  I nicknamed it “firkenstein.”

I have to have something baking in the oven when I am decorating the tree.  One, because I am usually tired and hungry by the time the tree is loaded with lights, ribbons and ornaments.  And second, because I love the warm smell of baked goods mixed with the crisp scent of a Christmas tree.  I wish I could bottle up the smell and spray it on every Christmas card and present I send out.

This apple cranberry bread pudding is what I had baking in the oven this year.  The bread was golden and crunchy on the top and moist and soft on the bottom.  The egg and milk were creamy and the jewel-toned cranberries were tart.  I cut the sugar in the original recipe by half because I didn’t want the sweetness to take over the taste of the apples.  Of course, you can experiment with how much sugar you like.

This recipe is perfect for using up day-old, stale bread.  I had half a loaf of white sesame bread on hand this time.  But sour dough, French baguette, or any other crusty white bread will work here.  You can substitute the cranberries with raisins and apples with pears for a different taste.  I may also sprinkle some sliced almonds on top next time.

This is great for brunch with some fresh fruits and mimosas.  It will also work at the end of a dinner with some vanilla ice cream.  Whenever you serve it, this will sure bring the smell of the holidays to your home.