It’s no secret that I love all things holidays. While Christmas is the obvious favorite, I love celebrations throughout the year. One thing I don’t love about this time of year, however, is the frozen tundra the outside has become. Seriously, I went to take the dogs out and literally blew the screen door off. It’s was not pleasant.
So, to soften the blow (pun intended), I like to have some indoor gatherings, preferably in my own house so I don’t have to go anywhere and the fun comes to me. In years past, I’ve hosted Christmas pajama movie nights, a recipe exchange, and impromptu game nights. However, my all-time favorite that happens year after year is my annual cookie exchange!
Here I’ll share some photos of cookie exchanges in years past, and give a step-by-step guide to hosting your own! Since we have a little bonus week in between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year, there’s still plenty of time to host your own this year! It’s such a fun way to get the girls together and gather some great cookie recipes!
1. Ask one of your girlfriends to co-hostess with you.
My friend, Anna and I have co-hosted for the past five years, and it’s so fun. Anna and I don’t see each other a ton (we live on polar opposite ends of the D.C. Beltway), so I love that this brings us together. We rotate whose house the party is each year and divvy up the work. She’s an amazing calligrapher too, so she adds her artistic touch too!
2. At least two weeks out: Send your invitations.
Obviously, the ideal situation would be to send invitations further out than two weeks, but since I’m writing this less than a month before Christmas, I’ll say two weeks. I’d scout out some convenient times from your friends since December is such a busy time for everyone! If you live in an area that doesn’t have crazy traffic, it might even make sense to have it on a week night. Tell the girls to bake around 4 dozen cookies. Unless you have a huge turnout (which is unlikely because, again, December), that should be plenty for everyone to bring home a few of each. Also, tell the guests to bring a platter to display the cookies on.
3. In preparation for the party, go shopping.
Make sure you buy the following items for all guests. Granted, many of these are very optional, but Anna and I like to go all out, if you will.
- Big tupperware containers (can be purchased at the Dollar Tree)
- Little plastic tongs (also Dollar Tree)
- Small paper plates
- Napkins
- Savory appetizers (think spanakopita, a chip and dip and perhaps a veggie tray)
- Ingredients for a cocktail, spiked hot chocolate and/or milk and sparkling water.
- Prizes for the winners.
- Party favors for your guests
- Index cards (you’ll want to fold them in half and put numbers on them and assign each cookie type a number for voting later)
4. The day of the party, clean, clear off a table for people to put the cookies on, leave out your index cards for people to put a number on their platter, serve appetizers and cocktails, enjoy company and, after an hour or so of socializing, proceed to the next step…
5. Invite guests to sample the cookies and vote. It makes sense to have people share cookies and break them up because it’s unlikely people will want to eat so many cookies in one sitting. We simply use cut up index cards as ballots and have people write the numbers of the cookies they want to vote for in the following categories: Best Looking, Best Tasting, and Most Original.
6. Declare the winners (the 2017 reigning champs are above. The 2013 champs are below) and invite guests to do the “exchange” part. It’s easiest to just tell guests how many of each cookie to bring home in their brand spankin’ new tupperware that you’re providing them.
7. Send the guests home with their new cookies, provide them with a party favor and clean up!
8. I like to then email all guests and ask them if they’ll share their cookie recipe. I compile the recipes in to a little “eBook” and then send it to all attendees as a final little Christmas present!
I maybe made this sound more complicated than it needed to be, but cookie exchanges are a super fun tradition and I highly recommend that you start one too! It’s a great way to bring the girls together during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season!
Have you hosted a cookie exchange before? Do you have any great tips I missed? If so, leave them in the comments section below! Also, if you have an amazing cookie recipe you’d love to share, I’d loooove to have it! Put that in the comments section below too!