Fifteen Years of Christmas Cookie Baking with Peg Koch | St. Ann School Tradition
-
Every December at St. Ann School, there’s a tradition that fills the halls with the unmistakable scent of butter, sugar, and something even sweeter—community. Since 2009, longtime parish member Mrs. Peg Koch has been baking Christmas cookies with our fourth graders, a tradition that has become a beloved part of our school’s Advent season.
This year was extra special: both the fourth and eighth grade classes joined in the fun. Our eighth graders missed out on the activity during the pandemic, and Peg was determined to make sure they had their turn. “We’re catching up on memories,” she joked—warm, wise, and ever-devoted to the children she has watched grow through the years.
Peg brings in all of the ingredients herself, and together she and the students bake every cookie—from the dough to the frosting—completely from scratch. It’s hands-on, joy-filled, and something the kids look forward to every year.
Each year, the Christmas cookies the students bake are lovingly packaged and delivered to local nursing homes and shut-ins—a small act of joy that means so much to the recipients.This year, the students assembled an incredible sixty-four boxes of cookies to share throughout the community.
64 boxes of cookies to be delivered to the Stoughton community.How the Tradition Began
The idea started simply—and humbly.
Peg was helping with Religious Education through the parish years ago and asked whether the school had any special Christmas service projects. “I don’t think we do,” someone told her.
So Peg created one.
Armed with a love of baking and a heart for service, she offered to come in and bake cookies with the kids. What started as a single project quickly became something much more meaningful. ‘‘It’s been a win-win for me,’’ she said. “I can’t tell you the number of students I’ve baked with over the years. They’ve become family.”
A Teacher of More Than Cookies
Peg has lived in the Stoughton community and been a part of St. Ann Church since 1995, and in that time, she’s formed lasting bonds with hundreds of children. She smiles as she shares stories—not just of cookie dough and frosting, but of everything that followed.
“I can’t tell you the number of graduations, birthday parties, eighth-grade ceremonies, even college celebrations I’ve been invited to,” she said. “It’s so special.”
And it doesn’t stop there. Each year, former students reach out just to stay connected.
“One of ‘my kids’ calls me once or twice a year,” she laughed. “Sometimes they want to come to dinner. One time they asked if we could host a murder mystery party at my house. Santa even made an appearance—it was pretty funny!”
Peg’s love of gathering people hasn’t gone unnoticed. She once hosted a pie-baking auction dinner that became legendary. “Right after the bishop arrived, they auctioned it off for $3,500,” she recalled. “It was one of those moments that showed just how meaningful community traditions can be.”
4th & 8th graders show their decorated cookiesCookies, Care, and Community
For Peg, the cookie tradition has always been about more than baking. It’s a way to teach children that service is joyful, creativity is sacred, and gathering around a table—whether to bake pies or decorate Christmas cookies—brings people together in ways that stay with them their whole lives.
“It’s important for people to continue gathering,” she said. “Dinners, pie baking, cookies… it all brings us together.”
Each December, when the trays go into the oven and the students crowd around with sprinkles and smiles, Peg sees the same magic she felt in 2009. Sixteen years later, the tradition is still thriving—shaped by the hands of children and the heart of a woman who believes deeply in faith, community, and the joy of showing up.
A Legacy of Love
Peg grew up in Madison, but she has built a second home here at St. Ann. Her generosity and her joyful spirit have made a lasting impact on generations of students.
As we look forward to many more years of this cherished Christmas tradition, we give thanks for Peg—the glue that holds so many St. Ann memories together, one cookie at a time.
