Post your Cookie Exchange Experiences

[Emily Cady]

Hello again!

I was really inspired by this website and it really came in handy when doing my first ever cookie exchange party. I forgot to mention in my previous message the games and things we did at the party. We played two games and the winners both received prizes that related to cookie baking.

The two games we played were both from this web site. The right-left game using twas the night before Christmas version which my mother-in-law thought was so clever and cute that she wants to use it for her kids in her classroom as she is a teacher. The other game we did was the Holiday trivia game. I used all the questions off this site as well as looked up online for other questions to ask guests. This too was a BIG hit! :-)

For a take home gift for each of our guests I made recipe books for each person to take home with them. I used red, green and white colored card stock to print all of the recipes on to them. I punch a two holes on the left corners of the pages and made into a book by tying it with Christmas ribbon and then stringing a miniature Christmas cookie cutter through the ribbon. What a great touch it added to the book. What a nice keepsake/memento for all of our guests to take home.

The party was a GREAT success! I will definitely be doing this again next year!!!! :-) What a great turn-out.....we invited 25 people and we had 17 people show.....IT WAS AWESOME!!!!

Thank you ALL for all of the aWESOME ideas!!!! :-)

[Kim_B]

I just wanted to say thanks again to Robin and every one who has shared their ideas and experiences - I hosted y 1st cookie exchange on Saturday the 4th, and it was a great success!

I planned it from 12:00 - 3:30, which was plenty of time, and allowed for a relaxed day. I invited 13 people, and only 6 showed up, which I was happy for; any more than that and it would have been too overwhelming for my first party!

We had lunch, chit-chatted, etc. (Homemade potato soup, homemade vegetable soup, hot spinach dip, hot buffalo chicken dip, veggie tray, etc)

I had every one bring an ornament, which we exchanged. We played a simple story game (had to keep it easy for my almost-80 year old Grandmother to follow) for this. Then we discussed the goodies we brought - why we chose to make them, any trials or tribulations associated with making them, etc. Then we all took a sampling of the cookies - packaged them up, and taste-tested some.

I limited it to 4 dozen cookies each person, which was TONS. I will keep it to this same amount next year, as it was plenty to share, and people took some to other gatherings they were going to that weekend.

I had put together a prize for the Cookie Queen, but hadn't thought much about what I was going to do with it, or how we would award the prize. After receiving countless emails from my cousin counting down the days until the cookie exchange, and reading many status updated on Facebook about her 8 dozen cookies that she made, etc...I knew that the Cookie Queen award would be based on enthusiasm and cookie-baking prowess. She was so excited!! The prize consisted of a ceramic crock, two Christmas oven mitts, a spatula, Christmas recipe cards, and a canister of Christmas sprinkles, and a little gingerbread chef baking cookies Christmas ornament.

Overall, it was a hit, and it was requested that we do it again next year, which made me VERY happy!

[RuthG]

I just wanted to share I had my first cookie exchange this year. In June my sister and I moved 125 miles from our hometown and because she's in a wheel chair we live in what is basically an elderly and disabled building though i am only 36. That said my new Friends and neighbors took to the idea of a cookie swap and we had one yesterday it went well for a first try I thought you had to wrap batches for swapping I wish i had found this site first.
Now I will know for next time and others want to do it again I am thinking of one for valentines day or even a 'beat the winter blues' cookie exchange.
has anyone else done one not for Christmas before?
Thanks you so much for so many wonderful Ideas.

[michele31mom]

I had my exchange on 12/11.
I sent out my save the date e-mails in mid-Sept. Invites were sent out mid-November. I invited 13 people. 1 was unable to attend. And another friend got very ill (stomach flu) and of course, none of us felt she should attend LOL

Because I keep my cookie exchange to a group of close friends and family I don't have a "no-show" problem. My rules are VERY simple- 5 cookies per guest packaged and ready to go however you would like. No store mixes or dairy aisle cookie packages.
Everything else is fine by me.
Some years my sister will even make fudge (delish!) and last year my best friend made a monkey bread for everyone (which was a HUGE hit). So I am not too worried about what they make as long as they make something.

My menu this year I made:
BLTS (I cut the bread with a round cookie cutter)
Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche
Pillsbury Ham and Swiss Wreath (made with biscuits filled with ham and swiss, a BIG hit)
cheese/crackers
veggie platter
Red Velvet Cake
Gingerbread Cake
Lemon/Cranberry Cake (the only purchased item on my menu)
Feta Bruchetta (on the Ritz cracker box)
Spinach Dip

I always serve Williams Sonoma Hot Chocolate in my crock pot with their marshmallows- worth every extra penny and you can get it at their outlets too!

My favors were recipe cards with very funny sayings on them "I childproof my house- but they keep getting back in", "Housework will not kill you, but why take the chance"...very cute.

We don't play any games at my party. There is no special clothing theme.
It is really about spending time with people that I love and not having any kids to worry about it for 2 hours during the Christmas Season.
We sit around and talk and laugh and eat. Then we put our cookie packages in our bags or baskets and go back to the holiday rat race at home and the stores and work.

So it was another successful year. And I look forward to 2011's.

[cbomba]

My second Holiday cookie Exchange took place on Sunday Dec. 12 during the first blizzard of the season. I had 12 RSVP and 10 attended despite the weather.We had Cocktail meatballs, mini quiches, holiday punch, shirmp cocktail and a variety of other appetizers. We played a couple of trivia games I found on the cookie exchange webiste which were wonderful and I had prizes under the Christmas tree for everyone. When the party concluded, I provided cookbooks for each attendant with the recipes of each of the cookies that they brought and a cookie cutter to take home as well. My husband arrived hme aafter Navy duty just in time to dig out 10 cars out of snow in our driveway during the blizzard so everyone could go home. That's a Michigan winter and holiday!!

[Anne Cringan]

I have to say i have the best CE'ers ever! There's always some last minute stresses with folks having to cancel and/or wanting to bring something else. But over the last decade I've learned to roll with the punches. As Robin says, people come and go and each year I see a few new faces and a few who drop off and that's ok. But the dedication that each of the ladies shows is amazing and having a theme definitely pumps them up!! Plus they'll just do anything for a little prize and a whole lotta fun! This year the last of the games was to use wrapping paper, wool, cotton candy and dress a Santa, Mrs. Claus and an Elf! What a hoot! My 2011 CE is now part of the record books and I've already started planning 2012!!!

[Anne Cringan]

Just hosted my 8th Annual Cookie Exchange today. It was a down home country Christmas and what a blast. We played 2 games that worked out sooo well. Did the 12 days of Christmas.. Everyone got one line of the song. And they had to sing in turn. When it was there turn they had to stand up and then sit down. Some had a couple of lines. By the time we got to 12 there were ladies bopping up and down all over the room. AWESOME. The other was a version of the Reindeer antler game. Each team had to dress up 1 member as Mr. Claus, Mrs. Claus and Rudolph with only the items they were given and they had to use all the items. They had wrapping paper, balloons, long johns, craft paper, cotton balls, stockings, 1 piece red underwear... such a riot. Can't wait to post my pics. Thanks to Robin and ALL the ladies who post, it really helps inspire me.

[cookielady]

How did you create the recipe books? I love the cookie cutter idea. I am hosting my first one today and I am going to deliver the recipe books later as I just got the last recipe the other day and have had a few cancellations at the last minute. Any ideas or photos would be greatly appreciated. My email is [e-mail]. Thanks so much!! Merry Christmas!!

[quandrea]

Just printed the invites for my first ever exchange. I am including men and kids for mine. I want it to be a party where everyone can connect over the holidays. I asked people to bring 3 or four dozen nut free cookies, if they want. I have some very busy people and some non bakers that I didn't want to intimidate. The truth is, I bake enough to feed the neighbourhood and will easily be able to pick up the slack. I want a fun afternoon where everyone can leave with a container of home baked goodies. I know some people will bring and I'm excited to see the different offerings. I plan to offer a few savories as well. I am going to provide containers. I'm thinking Christmas Ziploc containers, but the large turkey roasting tin sounds like a fine idea.

[Kim_B]

Oct 28, 2013 6:45:31 GMT -5 @quandrea said:

Just printed the invites for my first ever exchange. I am including men and kids for mine. I want it to be a party where everyone can connect over the holidays. I asked people to bring 3 or four dozen nut free cookies, if they want. I have some very busy people and some non bakers that I didn't want to intimidate. The truth is, I bake enough to feed the neighbourhood and will easily be able to pick up the slack. I want a fun afternoon where everyone can leave with a container of home baked goodies. I know some people will bring and I'm excited to see the different offerings. I plan to offer a few savories as well. I am going to provide containers. I'm thinking Christmas Ziploc containers, but the large turkey roasting tin sounds like a fine idea.

Sounds like a great time to me!! Let us know how it turns out!

My 4th Cookie party is on the 30th this month…still managed to get it the weekend of Thanksgiving, dagnabit! Everyone is super excited, and it's grown quite a bit - every guest it seems has invited at least on additional person this year!

I am sticking with the soups again, as it's easy to throw them in the slow cooker and let them go while I do the fun stuff! Haven't given much thought to any games, etc, but I'm sure I'll come up with something!

[Quandrea]

Had my exchange today. What a success. Everyone really put firth a great effort. The table was gorgeous. We had no duplicates just by chance. Some people even baked multiple items and brought three or four dozen of each. The cookies were all delicious. My biggest fear was that some people would not go home with cookies but everyone packed up a bundle which thrilled me. I was at left with a table if cookies. Our exchange was very relaxed. People just filled their containers at their leisure. Every cookie was labelled.

I served meatballs, fondue, finger sandwiches, wine, punch,egg nog and wine and soft drinks.

I heartily recommend the no rules cookie exchange.

[heresdeb]

We just had our Naughty & Nice cookie exchange yesterday, and it was great fun! We actually chose the theme based on a package of Christmas napkins I had seen the previous year.

Our decor was red (naughty) and white (nice). The cookie table was divided in half and guests put cookies on the naughty or nice side -- or in the middle. Some naughty cookies included one with a rum icing, caramel apple cookies (naughty because they were inside out), and melted snowmen. We had a naughty couch and chairs and nice couch and chairs - covered in red or white (sheets, blankets, tulle), and had red or white balloons behind them.

For food we had naughty and nice pizza. Nice was normal kinds, naughty were mac & cheese pizza and baked potato pizza. We had naughty pretzels that were spicy and made w/whiskey, nice pretzels that were traditional soft pretzels. Naughty & Nice apple-based punch, one with sparkling wine, one without.

We had a Naughty & Nice white elephant gift exchange. We had several bottles of wine exchange hands in that one One bottle also had a pair of handcuffs attached!! The most unique was a bowl with the speak/hear/see no evil monkeys holding it up.

Our favors were stockings with either coal soap from etsy, or BBB hand sanitizer + angel wing ornaments. I made naughty or nice scratch-off tickets that we attached to individually decorated sugar cookies that determined if they received a naughty or nice favor. As a little joke, we made sure one of the co-hosts got a naughty scratch off, and because she was naughty I smashed her cookie! Then I asked who else was naughty. The looks on their faces at first was priceless. (She got a second whole cookie.)

We had prizes for the following: Nicest Cookie Story; Naughtiest Ingredient; Nicest Ingredient; Naughty Police (winner of clothespin game where you can't say certain words); Closest Cookie Match to Theme; Most Passionate (about their cookie). Of course each prize was either Naughty or Nice, matching the category. The prize for Naughty and Nice was a cute set of martini drink mixers and sugar for rimming the glass.

All in all, our 14 guests had a great time and really loved the theme Now, I'm ready to explore these boards to find my theme for 2015!