Cream the sugar with the butter, then add the egg an vanilaa. Sift together the flour, backing soda & salt in a separate bowl. Add the buttermilk, alternating with the dry ingredients. I usually mix in the last bit of flour by hand. Wrap up the cookie dough and refrigerate for a few hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness, depending on how thick & soft you like your cookies. Cut with cookie cutters and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes until lightly browned around the edges. Let the cookies cool just a few minutes on the cookies sheets then move them with a spatula to a cooling rack. After the cookies are completely cool frost and decorate for the holiday or occassion.