Hosting My First Cookie Exchange

[hostesswthemostest]

I am hosting the first of what I hope will be many Christmas cookie exchanges. I have been researching a lot (this is site is awesome!) and have come up with several ideas that I think are good ones, but I'm looking for input.
I have chosen "A Candy-Filled Christmas" as my theme and am going to suggest that my guests make a cookie that has something to do with candy or includes a candy as an ingredient. For example, I am making candy cane blossoms and a friend is making Snickers cookies.
I don't want to have too many games because honestly I want to keep my first exchange more on the social side, not necessarily focusing on games. I have decided to do several sized jars full of candy where guests guess how many are in them and then the closet gets to keep the jar. I have also planned a candy trivia game.
My other ideas are to do a "best presentation" award as voted by everyone. Since we're not going to be eating the cookies at the party, I guess the next best thing is to vote on looks. I would also like to award a "hostess' choice".
Finally, I want everyone to send me a copy of their recipe and then I am going to make an online cookbook complete with pictures to share with my guests. That way they can print out the whole thing if they wish, or just certain recipes.
I would love any thoughts on my ideas or any new ideas!

[pookie]

Good luck with your first CE!! They are great fun. As for your plans they sound very good. May I suggest that instead of trying to get everyone's cookie recipe before hand to make a book, have them bring X copies of their recipe on a recipe card to be given to each guest when you swap cookies. I tried to get everyone's recipes to do a book and it did not go well last year. This year, I am having everyone bring recipe cards and I will supply a "front cover" card and a ring (and a hole puncher) that everyone can make a collection there.

[hostesswthemostest]

Thanks I was thinking about having everyone bring their own cards, but I am worried that my guests will think that it is too much work and will be discouraged from coming. I am planning on doing the recipe book -after- the exchange and emailing an electronic copy.

[Robin]

Nov 3, 2010 11:07:25 GMT -5 hostesswthemostest said:

Thanks I was thinking about having everyone bring their own cards, but I am worried that my guests will think that it is too much work and will be discouraged from coming. I am planning on doing the recipe book -after- the exchange and emailing an electronic copy.

Speaking with 20 years experience, you probably will not get 100 % compliance asking for printed recipes. I get about 75% to give me the recipes via email and then there's people who just don't care about the recipes at all, they only bake so they can come to the party.