VERY year the Kuklapolitans all look forward to the cookie baking time right before Christmas.  The warm, spicy smells float through the house and although the actual baking is left to the girls, everyone feels it is an important part of Christmas.  This year Madame Ooglepuss hadn't thought of it until the day, quite by accident, of course, she overheard Col. Crackie and Kukla talking as they were checking the tree ornaments. She had her ear to the door and the colonel was saying,

“Mah goodness!  How Ah'm looking forward to the Christmas cookies this year, Ophelia always surprises us with some new recipe she's found somewhere. Sometimes Ah wonder where!!”

 When she heard this she  was all smiles.  “How glorious,” she thought.  “If I can dig up Mother's old recipe and surprise the dear colonel – the way to a man's heart, you know?”

 So with a sigh and a little giggle she tripped merrily down to the kitchen.  (Mercedes had left her skates in the hall again.) Someone had gotten to the kitchen before her for when she walked in, a strange array of mechanical devices greeted her.  The kitchen was covered with electronic tubes, gears, intricate wiring systems and a huge control panel.  On the panel there were dials marked “Crisp, Crisper and Crispest.”   There was one that said “Mixer” and another that said “Cutter.”  There was a whole series of lines that looked a ruler.  Over this there was a sign saying, “Shapes and Sizes.”  Underneath was a row of levers and gearshifts marked “Vanilla, Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Ginger" and all the flavors you could imagine.  Madame Ooglepuss could hardly get into the room.  "What in the world – ," she began.  She was cut off by a loud screech.

 “Don't touch anything!  It's all set for a dry, trial run.”  There was Buelah Witch perched on top of a huge funnel-shaped can right over the top of the icebox.  She was just about to pour a huge cauldron of “who knows what” into the funnel.

“Buelah,” gasped Madame Ooglepuss, “our kitchen – what’s happened?”  Take this contraption down immediately.  I’m going to bake cookies.”

 “Your worries are over dear.  My new invention!  Buelah’s Little Wonder Christmas Cookie Cutter and Cooker!!”  Before Madame Ooglepuss could recover, Buelah had shouted “Contact” and the machine started with a clatter - a roar that shook the whole Kuklapolitan Theatre to its foundation.  Above the clash of the gears and amidst the steam and smoke Buelah was screaming, “Pilot to Navigator!  Vanilla and chocolate, 10 degrees on the crisp dial,    Christmas tree shape!!!”  One thing must be said for Madame Ooglepuss.  She behaved like an old soldier.  She leaped to the control panel and called back in a penetrating soprano,

 “Navigator to Pilot!  All controls checked.  Roger and over!”

 Well, in five minutes time both the girls  were perched on top of the icebox.  The rest of the room was filled with Christmas cookies of various sizes, shapes and flavors.  “Landing flaps down” Buelah called and with a final wheeze the machinery ground to a halt.  “Good girl, Ophelia!” she called to Madame Ooglepuss, “We’ve done it!”

 Kukla, hearing all the noise, poked his head in the door.  “What's going on here?”

 “We're just making some Christmas cookies for Colonel Crackie, Kukla,” the two girls said, practically in unison.  “Aren't they great?”

 Kukla bit into one and admitted, “They are delicious but you have enough for the United States Army.”

 “You've hit the nail on the head, dear,” Buelah replied.  “We’ll send them to Santa Claus. He can distribute them to people all over the world including the United States Army.  It’ll be a long time before our boys forget about the down-to-earth goodness of cookies made in   Buelah’s Little Wonder Christmas Cookie Cutter and Cooker!”