The upcoming holidays are often dubbed the “bake and shake” days. And certainly there will be a lot of both going on.

More home baking will be done between now and Christmas than at any other time of the year. Perhaps the entire year.

And, since the oven will be warm and spirits will be high, why not roll out another dozen cookies or put on another batch of candy for the Pike County Habitat for Humanity Giant Cookie Sale from 8 a.m. to noon on Dec. 6 at Saint Martin’s Catholic Church.

Dr. Christi Magrath, a coordinator of the event, said cooks all around the county are encouraged to bake or make something for Pike County Habitat’s largest fund-raiser.

“All the proceeds from the Giant Cookie Sale go toward building houses in Pike County for those who desperately need a home,” Magrath said. “In the eight years that Pike County Habitat for Humanity has sponsored the Giant Cookie Sale, we have raised enough money to build a half of a house. And, that’s a lot of cookies baked and sold.”

Although the event is billed as a cookie sale and even though cookies are the “big” draw, the sale also includes candy, cakes and pies.

“Some people donate craft items, too,” so it’s a cookie sale and more,” Magrath said.

Two collection centers will be available for those who bake items for the Giant Cookie Sale.

Cookies and other donated items may be delivered to Saint Martin’s from 5 until 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, and from noon until 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5 or to room 319 at McCall Hall (Math and Science Complex) on the campus of Troy University from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. both days.

The procedure for shopping for cookies at the Giant Cookie Sale is sweet and simple.

“When shoppers walk through the door, they will be given gloves and a plastic container,” Magrath said. “Then, they stand there and stare in amazement at the array of cookies and candy before picking and choosing the items they want. Shoppers can get one cookie of each kind or a dozen of any kind or mix and match them any way they like.”

The containers of cookies are weighed and charged by the pound at $5 per pound.

“You’ll be surprised at how many cookies you can get for $5,” Magrath said. “Depending on the cookie or candy, you can usually get from one to two dozen for $5 and that’s a great price from homemade cookies and candy.”

The cakes are sold by the pound unless the cake is determined to be a specialty cake and then it could cost more.

Scales are available so shoppers don’t get a surprise at the checkout counter.

“Everybody has their favorites but divinity is always popular and chocolate chips never go out of style,” Magrath said and added laughing. “People come in the door asking, ‘Where are the bourbon balls?’

“We are looking forward to the Giant Cookie Sale. The more cookies that are baked, the more money we will have to build homes for people in our community. Hopefully, before Christmas, a family will move into our ninth home. What a wonderful Christmas gift that will be for this special family.”