Have you ever dreamed of having so many different cookies at Christmas and you didn't have to bake them all yourself? Well, here's were a Cookie Exchange comes into play. With a bit of planning ahead, you can have a great exchange with little effort.
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.
Having a different setting for each Cookie Exchange you host, always is a nice surprise for your guests. A Victorian theme always is a big hit, using magnolias, roses and beads as decorations. One year my theme was all Santa, all the time. I used Santa everywhere and it made my guests feel like kids again. Use your imagination, it keeps the party interesting.
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.
Be sure to ask your guests to bring a copy of their cookie recipe with them. I gather these recipes and make a small Cookie Cookbook each year to give everyone. This can be especially challenging for those you purchase their cookies, but hey, it's about the social aspect of the evening and not necessarily the cookies. Okay, it's about the cookies too!
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.
Author Resource:
Want to find out more about Cookie Exchanges , then visit Marion Wilkinson's site on how to choose the best recipes for your needs.