My Mom's Christmas Crescent Rolls

Today I'm calling them "Christmas" Crescent Rolls but they make appearances all throughout the year at family dinners. My mom makes these and has done so for many years; they are so good that our family fights over them. These are not Pillsbury pop-can rolls (although I'm sure those are good, too); these are hand-made, twice-risen, and freshly baked and I, my dad, my siblings, my nieces and nephews, etc., have become "high-maintenance" when it comes to these rolls. Every holiday dinner at my parent's house, and many non-holiday dinners, too, like birthdays or anniversaries, we all EXPECT these rolls to be on the menu and every chance we get we drop the hint "it wouldn't be (insert name of occasion) without the crescent rolls!" in order to ensure that my mom makes the rolls. The sight of the rolls rising on the baking sheet (below) has been known to create a kind of manic anticipation that borders on mob mentality!
There were a number of occasions in the early, early recorded history of get-togethers at the Hansen Homestead where the demand for these rolls exceeded the supply. None of us who were present at those particular gatherings have ever forgotten it, and even though Mom keeps upping the quantity of rolls baked for subsequent gatherings, that past trauma gave rise to a number of schemes that many of us use to each guarantee our fair share of the rolls.

I myself, prior to dinner being served, am guilty of sneaking a half dozen crescent rolls, putting them in a ziplock baggie, and hiding them in my luggage. I have also hidden them in the freezer behind boxes of frozen mixed veggies where I knew they would be safe until I could retrieve them later. I've slipped an extra one (or two or three) into my pocket while they were being passed around at the dinner table. I've tried, but I can't stop doing this; after all, I know other family members engage in the same subterfuge which means I have to also or I risk someone else obtaining and eating my crescent rolls!

In recent years the rolls have even begun disappearing while they are still rising on the pans. I completely deny having anything to do with that business. My mom sometimes puts the pans up high on top of the refrigerator, or even on top of her ten-foot bookshelf, until they are ready for the oven. She says that she does this so the dog can't get them but I think she's on to us . . . uh . . . I mean them.
Last Christmas we had a small gathering at my mom and dad's house. Isn't the table pretty? Don't bother looking for the crescent rolls; they're not on the table yet because my mom didn't want to have to keep smacking our thieving hands while we were supposed to be getting a nice picture taken. From left-front, clockwise, that's me, my sister Lisa, my bro-in-law Ron, my Dad, my son Michael, my sister Karen, my Mom, and my son Rodrigo. Hubby Mike took this photo. As I recall, to get us to smile he said something like, "just think of all those crescent rolls you've squirelled away for later!"

This time of year is all about anticipation. What will Santa bring? Will he bring me everything on my List? Will I get my fair share of Mom's Crescent Rolls????

"Dear Santa,

I have been extra-good this whole year.

Please fill my stocking with Mom's Crescent Rolls.

Love, Debbie"

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