While Santa was likely polishing his spectacles in anticipation of reviewing list of the nice and naughty in early November, the kitchen at the Baker home in North Laurel began warming up with the spirit of giving.

That's when Leah Baker started buying in bulk the flour and sugar she would need to create more than 1,000 Christmas cookies, a December baking marathon that coincides with the appearance of shimmering lights and holiday decor.

The family tradition started small in 2006 when Leah Jordan — then a family consumer science teacher at Pennbrook Middle School in North Wales, Pa. — married waterproofing-product salesman Brian Baker.

The first Christmas after they married, Leah started baking cookies for some of Brian's clients; she also gave a few as gifts to neighbors, friends and staff at the school where she taught.

As Brian Baker's client list grew and the Baker family moved to this area four years ago, the annual cookie baking tradition evolved into a production that involves everyone in the family.

As she has done every year for the past decade, Leah Baker began mixing and freezing her cookie dough the day after Thanksgiving. This year, she was assisted by two enthusiastic helpers: 4-year-old Adyson and 2-year-old Chace.

Chace, she said, loves to turn on the mixer, and Adyson helps her mother measure and mix ingredients. Leah Baker does the scooping and baking for 10 nights running.

Along with their dad, the little Bakers step up to the job of taste-testing, a part of the production process that Leah — who typically gets up at 5 a.m. to work out — is happy to abdicate.

“I have no idea what snickerdoodles taste like,” she said. “Cinnamon in cookies doesn't appeal to me.”

Baker said she prefers to wait until close to Christmas Eve to begin nibbling her favorite M&M cookies, but the house smells of fresh-baked cookies the entire month of December.

Brian Baker, part-owner of Preservation and Protection Systems on Laurel's Main Street, hand-delivers most of the cookies during the week before Christmas.

“My customers are the most happy to see me when I deliver their cookies. It's the one time I don't need an appointment to get in to see them,” he said.

“I think he's very proud that I make these for him, because he comes home smiling after he gives them out,” Leah Baker said.

Ellicott City resident Joe Stevens said he's known Brian Baker professionally for a decade; the Baker family cookies have always been “warmly welcomed and appreciated” at Consolidated Waterproofing Contractors in Beltsville.

“Come cookie delivery day, no matter what is going on or how busy the day is, we always stop what we are doing to enjoy the fresh treats,” Stevens said.

Craig Flater of Kenseal Construction Products in Beltsville said he's worked with Brian Baker for the past six years.

Fourteen staff members at Kenseal look forward to the arrival of a huge tray of cookies, and they disappear within two to three hours, Flater said. He believes the gift contributes to “a more personal relationship” with Preservation and Protection Systems.

“All the cookies are super delicious, but my favorite is the chocolate chip,” he said. “I know Leah puts a lot of effort into making the cookies, so that extra time and effort means a lot in today's fast-paced world.”

The Bakers do keep some cookies for themselves. And Leah Baker said she delivers small packages to her trainers at Power Train Gym in Columbia. She also mails some to family and friends in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and North Carolina.

Last year, Baker said she was touched to find “Best Day Ever” on North Carolina resident Christina Kassop's social media status; Kassop credited her cookie delivery as the reason.

The two women met several years ago at a Stroller Strides class called Fit4Mom Howard County, where Baker was an instructor, and struck up a close friendship. The Kassop family moved to Southern Pines, N.C., when Kassop's husband was stationed with the Army at Fort Bragg; they received their first package of Christmas cookies from the Baker family last Christmas.

“It was very sweet; I was missing home and it was so thoughtful of her,” Kassop said. “I'm definitely looking forward to my package this year.”

Although she has the process down pat, Baker said she couldn't consider going commercial, at least not unless a double oven appears under the tree in the Christmas future.

The Bakers say they have fallen in love with Howard County. They had their Christmas card photo taken this year at Bollman Bridge. And the littlest Bakers are looking forward to a visit from Santa Claus, courtesy of the Savage Volunteer Fire Department on Dec. 20.

“I love it here,” Leah Baker said. “I would never move away.”

Adyson, Leah said, has already promised Santa — during a visit to Triadelphia Lake View Farm in Glenelg — that she'll leave him M&M cookies on Christmas Eve.