Deck the halls

'Tis the season to make cookies, and 'tis the job of the Christmas Cookie Deck ($13.95) to make the baking both convenient and fun. Pop this deck into someone's stocking and hope it's a gift that keeps on giving -- in the form of treats for you. Each card offers a recipe for a different holiday sweet and a photo of the finished confection, with 50 recipes in all. Your giftee can whip up a globe-trotting assortment -- Viennese marzipan bells, Scottish coriander shortbread stars, Norwegian lace cookies -- or focus on a single ingredient, such as ginger or chocolate. When the sturdy cards get covered in flour fingerprints, he or she can easily wipe them off, and the box that holds them guarantees there will be no need to turn the kitchen upside down looking for a recipe. The only real challenge for the baker will be deciding which of the cookies to make. You might want to drop a few hints.

DEVRA FIRST

The Christmas Cookie Deck (Chronicle Books) is at most bookstores or from www.chroniclebooks.com.