Post by Lida on Jan 2, 2010 12:56:42 GMT -5
Hi All,
I had my first cookie exchange on Dec. 19th. Just wanted to let you how it went, since we did some things differently than most people who post on this page.
Basics: Co-hosted with my neighbor. Saturday night from 7-9:30 pm. Appetizers and selection of beverages. Southern California allowed me to branch out onto the back patio and we even cleaned/decorated the garage and put the cookies out there. Candles & 100 white light strands went a long way in easy/cheap decorating. I think it was more of your classic Christmas party with the exchange as the main activity.
1st - Invites were geared to getting to know our neighbors as well as friends and some family were included. We sent out approximately 50 invites to the neighbors and ended up with 5 "Yes" The party ended up with ~25 people; the rest made up of our friends.
2nd - My house is too small to have lots of kids running around - we tried to make it more adult by having it late in the evening. On the invitations we used "Children Discouraged" if someone couldn't get a babysitter we didn't want them NOT to come. I bought some Christmas kids movies and set up a TV in the spare bedroom - just in case. Didn't end up needing them.
3rd - Did not limit it to women. This was great. Mostly couples. The single guys were given the option of bringing beer or making cookies. Most did both! Otherwise having the guys around made for a great party.
4th - 6 dozen was WAY too many. Maybe because we are military - there were guys around - or most of the people who came didn't have many children. I ended up with half the cookies! Which worked out well when traveling to family over the holidays. But next year I am definitely going to say 3 dozen. Would have been plenty!
OK those are the lessons learned, otherwise we followed Robyn's website to pull it together and it went awesome! If anyone is interested I have included the invitation wording, rules, and menu I used below.
Happy Holidays!
Lida
Neighbor Invites (we modified one of the poems someone posted on here):
'Tis a month before Christmas when on our fair street,
There are still many neighbors whom we've still yet to meet.
With our weekends so full, we're hoping you're available
To bring some festive cookies to set at our table.
Just add a few decorations to your favorite cookie batter.
(If you don't celebrate 'Christmas,' shoot....that doesn't matter)
We'll end the winter day with a little fun and some treats.
Then you'll swap cookies with others and take plenty home to eat.
Friends and Family version:
Take a break from the holiday rush and share the Christmas spirit with old and new friends. Come and enjoy appetizers and cocktails with us!
Rules (we just printed this on the back of the invites to save paper):
1. All cookies must be homemade, baked. No chocolate chip cookies - unless they are really different!
2. Please bring 6 dozen total cookies. Preferably made a few days before.
3. Bring a large container to carry away your cookies and a copy of your recipe.
4. RSVP as soon as you can and let me know what type of cookies you are brining. This will prevent duplications!
5. If you don't have time to bake, or have burnt your cookies, but still want to attend, you must go to a real bakery and buy 6 dozen yummy cookies.
Food Menu:
Heavy lifters - we made sure to have plenty of these in case people showed up who we weren't expecting. I think its easier to have these as leftovers than the others:
Assorted cheese platter with roasted/salted almonds, red/white grapes and Pepperidge Farm crackers.
Fruit/veggie platters
Made one batch of each of these:
Sausage balls
Feta, prosciutto, & basil pinwheels
Honey-BBQ ribs
Mexican shrimp cocktail w/Tostitos
Drink Menu:
Water, Coke, Dt Coke in a cooler on the patio
Hot mulled cider (Trade Joe's is very good)
Red/White wine
Assorted beer
Signature cocktail: Caramel Apple Martini (theknot.com)
I had my first cookie exchange on Dec. 19th. Just wanted to let you how it went, since we did some things differently than most people who post on this page.
Basics: Co-hosted with my neighbor. Saturday night from 7-9:30 pm. Appetizers and selection of beverages. Southern California allowed me to branch out onto the back patio and we even cleaned/decorated the garage and put the cookies out there. Candles & 100 white light strands went a long way in easy/cheap decorating. I think it was more of your classic Christmas party with the exchange as the main activity.
1st - Invites were geared to getting to know our neighbors as well as friends and some family were included. We sent out approximately 50 invites to the neighbors and ended up with 5 "Yes" The party ended up with ~25 people; the rest made up of our friends.
2nd - My house is too small to have lots of kids running around - we tried to make it more adult by having it late in the evening. On the invitations we used "Children Discouraged" if someone couldn't get a babysitter we didn't want them NOT to come. I bought some Christmas kids movies and set up a TV in the spare bedroom - just in case. Didn't end up needing them.
3rd - Did not limit it to women. This was great. Mostly couples. The single guys were given the option of bringing beer or making cookies. Most did both! Otherwise having the guys around made for a great party.
4th - 6 dozen was WAY too many. Maybe because we are military - there were guys around - or most of the people who came didn't have many children. I ended up with half the cookies! Which worked out well when traveling to family over the holidays. But next year I am definitely going to say 3 dozen. Would have been plenty!
OK those are the lessons learned, otherwise we followed Robyn's website to pull it together and it went awesome! If anyone is interested I have included the invitation wording, rules, and menu I used below.
Happy Holidays!
Lida
Neighbor Invites (we modified one of the poems someone posted on here):
'Tis a month before Christmas when on our fair street,
There are still many neighbors whom we've still yet to meet.
With our weekends so full, we're hoping you're available
To bring some festive cookies to set at our table.
Just add a few decorations to your favorite cookie batter.
(If you don't celebrate 'Christmas,' shoot....that doesn't matter)
We'll end the winter day with a little fun and some treats.
Then you'll swap cookies with others and take plenty home to eat.
Friends and Family version:
Take a break from the holiday rush and share the Christmas spirit with old and new friends. Come and enjoy appetizers and cocktails with us!
Rules (we just printed this on the back of the invites to save paper):
1. All cookies must be homemade, baked. No chocolate chip cookies - unless they are really different!
2. Please bring 6 dozen total cookies. Preferably made a few days before.
3. Bring a large container to carry away your cookies and a copy of your recipe.
4. RSVP as soon as you can and let me know what type of cookies you are brining. This will prevent duplications!
5. If you don't have time to bake, or have burnt your cookies, but still want to attend, you must go to a real bakery and buy 6 dozen yummy cookies.
Food Menu:
Heavy lifters - we made sure to have plenty of these in case people showed up who we weren't expecting. I think its easier to have these as leftovers than the others:
Assorted cheese platter with roasted/salted almonds, red/white grapes and Pepperidge Farm crackers.
Fruit/veggie platters
Made one batch of each of these:
Sausage balls
Feta, prosciutto, & basil pinwheels
Honey-BBQ ribs
Mexican shrimp cocktail w/Tostitos
Drink Menu:
Water, Coke, Dt Coke in a cooler on the patio
Hot mulled cider (Trade Joe's is very good)
Red/White wine
Assorted beer
Signature cocktail: Caramel Apple Martini (theknot.com)
