Cookies, cookies, cookies! What a wonderful thing at Christmas time. I, for one, enjoy lots of different cookies, but never seem to have the time or effort to bake them all. Having a Cookie Exchange seemed like the perfect answer to my desire for variety.
First thing to do when planning a Cookie Exchange is determine the number of guests you would like to invite and send out invitations. Be sure to include the number of cookies each person should bring with them. At my home, in a warm moist climate, cookies always get soft real fast, so what I do is have each person bring 1/2 cookies per bag times the number of people attending and a couple extra bags for serving with coffee, tea or punch.
I always try to come with a theme for each of my Cookie Exchanges. An example would be a Winter Wonderland, with white, silver and blue decorations, another would be an old fashioned Christmas, with vintage ornaments, handmade ornaments and strings of popcorn on your tree. Have fun with your decorations, mix and match over the years and you’ll have many options for themes.
Another feature of a Cookie Exchange are the games. There are so many options, my favorite being Christmas Bingo. This is always a big hit. Download pictures from the internet, I did 35 in all and make up bingo cards for each guest using a variety of these pictures. Other games include Christmas movie trivia and word scramble. Whatever you choose, their will be plenty of laughs going around. I purchase small, less then $5.00, gifts all year long and store them just for this occasion.
Why not make a small cookbook of the cookie recipes that everyone brings. I’ve done this every year with great success and anticipation by my guests. You can either make the booklets up right after the party and send them out, or wait until next year and hand them out at the party. Either way, your guests will appreciate this gesture.
Remember that this party is so that you can have fun and eat cookies without feeling guilty. Share the responsibility with a relative or friend and make it an annual event. No one wants to work hard to have an event like a Cookie Exchange, that’s why you have it in the first place. Enjoy yourself, eat cookies and relax, that’s what it’s all about.
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