Carefully remove the lemon peel, avoiding the white pith.

Use a vegetable peeler to remove the peel.

Roll lemons on a work surface to maximize juice extraction.

Juice the lemons and set aside.

Heat sugar and water in a pan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Add lemon peel to the pan, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add lemon juice to the pan, bring back to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

Transfer the juice mixture to a jar with a clip-top or screw-top lid.

Add vodka and seal the jar.

Shake the jar every 2 days for 2 weeks.

Strain the mixture.

Decant into bottles, adding a strip of lemon peel to each bottle.

Serve chilled as an after-dinner treat.

If making for Christmas gifts, start around December 8th to allow time for flavoring and labeling.