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Post by Karen on Oct 15, 2004 9:47:14 GMT -5
I just found this site and what fun I am having!
I can't believe that I am already starting to think about my annual cookie exchange party. I have been doing this for about 7 years now!
Being the "Martha Stewart" wannabe that I am, I was wondering if anyone had any creative invitation ideas. My invitations last year were done in the form of a recipe card. Any suggestions?
Also, a tip for some of you out there. When preparing my table for the "cookie platters", I scatter several inverted bowls (different heigts) on my table first. Then I cover the bowls and table with my table cloth. Some cookie platters are placed on tob of the inverted bowl and some are placed on the tabletop. This gives my table a 3-D look. Try it!
Thanks in advance for any ideas you may have.
Karen
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Post by Karen on Oct 16, 2004 22:37:26 GMT -5
I'm sorry I don't have any ideas for invitations, but the recipe card one sounds great! Could you tell me how you wrote them out? Thanks!
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Post by Linda Bingham on Oct 17, 2004 20:42:15 GMT -5
We are on our 4th year cookie swap and I love the idea on your home page about sharing stories. I am going to incoporate that idea into our 4th annual. Something we did last year that really worked out well and everyone like it. We asked everyone to wrap their cookies in a baggie(decorative possibly), putting 3-4 in each bag. Leave 1-2 out for display. This way when everyone goes around the table they just pick up a bag and they are not touching other peoples cookies and it also preserves your cookie from crumbing, because you don't have a lot of people touch them. We will diffently do this again this year.
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Post by Karen on Oct 18, 2004 8:58:02 GMT -5
Karen,
The recipe card invitation is really easy. I printed them off of the computer. I decorated them to look kind of like a recipe card. Basically:
From the kitchen of: (your name)
Recipe for: Cookie Exchange Party
Ingredients: 3 dozen home-made cookies
1 large platter to carry home your cookies
4 cups of smiles
5 quarts of laughter
1 extra large happy heart
Mix together smiles, laughter and an exta-large happy hear for Karen's annual cookie exchange party. set aside (date) from (time) for the holidayyy gathering. Add coffee, tea or cider to this casual affair as you enjoy the friendship of others. Plan to bring 3 dozen home-made cookies for the exchange. R.S.V.P.
Yield: An assortment of cookies and lots of holiday cheer!
Enjoy! Karen
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Post by Robin on Oct 20, 2004 0:19:14 GMT -5
Hi Karen (number 2!) I really like your invite, it's cute, I might use that one myself this year!  |
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Post by Robin on Oct 20, 2004 0:24:01 GMT -5
and regarding Invitations....
The most ambitious invite I've ever heard about was this:
A woman emailed me about about doing an invitation with icing on a large edible cookie and she was asking me how I thought she should ship them.
The cookie idea sounds great, it would be fun to be the receiver, but a lot of work (toooo much work)... Instead of messing w/ postage and shipping, I would probably hand deliver....
What's the wildest and craziest invite you have done and/or received?
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Post by Liz on Nov 2, 2004 15:09:43 GMT -5
We are doing "message in a bottle" invitations for a sweet sixteen party. I suppose you could also use this for a cookie exchange. We use recycled Mike's hard lemonade bottles, clear....(yea, someone had the hard job of drinking it ;D...filled it with colored shreded paper, added confetti a birthday candle and small silk flowers and decorated the outside with stickers. use small stationary for the invitation, roll tight and use a ribbon to secure. Use a cork, and a tag on the outside of the bottle with the recipient's name. I've heard they can be mailed, but these will be hand delivered!
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Post by Robin on Nov 2, 2004 15:58:03 GMT -5
What a cute idea, I love it. Could be used for a lot of different types of parties.
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Post by Barb on Nov 2, 2004 19:36:21 GMT -5
Our neighborhood exchange organizer has gingerbread scented, lidded candle tins. She is going to print out the invite in a spiral type layout (similar to the yellow brick road spiral), with the invite info. She's also going to include a quote "Burn the candle, not the cookies!" I'm pretty sure she got the 2-3 inch diameter candles from the local dollar store.  |
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Post by Sue on Nov 4, 2004 18:28:04 GMT -5
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Post by blest2x on Nov 7, 2004 12:07:06 GMT -5
Greetings Robin and all, First, Robin, thanks for the great site and wonderful information. I'm planning a neighborhood cookie exchange this year, (we're in a new subdivision with about 30 homes) and I'm going to use "evite" to manage the invites and RSVP. www.evite.comYou can choose a holiday background (I'm using Mrs. Claus); add a personal message with the "rules" and even set up a list : " List items (and quantity) you would like your guests to bring to the event. Items will disappear from the list as guests select them on the Evite. Limit 1 item per guest response" As invitees respond, you can see who's coming & what they plan to bring. I used evite for a potluck in the summer, and it worked very well. Less follow-up on the phone time, lost messages that kids or husbands don't pass along, etc. Best of luck, and Merry Christmas to all, Betty |
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Post by cindyd on Nov 9, 2004 2:41:16 GMT -5
I too use evite and it is awesome! I've used it for everything from Bunco, to Potluck Dinners, to in home parties (Princess House, Pampered Chef, etc.) AND I'm planning on using it this year to host my first cookie exchange. Everyone gets their invitation immediately. You actually get to see when the invitees view it (so they can't deny getting it). And you can even have evite automatically send out reminders for you. When your guests reply they can tell you what type of cookies they're going to bring and EVERYONE will get to see this so that they don't duplicate!
Definately not as cute as the other ideas, but very easy to use and keep track of RSVPs.
Good luck!
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Post by huffjoann on Nov 11, 2004 14:52:46 GMT -5
I think this year I am going to print my invites on some pretty Christmas paper. About 1/2 of my invitees live in my neighborhood, so I will just walk them around and mail the other half. I think I will follow up though with an evite and see how that goes. I hesitate on only doing the evite since I know that a few of my folks don't read email that often or they share email address with hubby and you know what can happen then.
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Post by Bonnie on Nov 11, 2004 18:44:25 GMT -5
I know what you mean. Seems there is always someone that will say later "oh I didn't open your e-mail I haven't checked my e-mail in ages." I know it is an expense to mail but I like to send out invites. Everyone likes to get fun mail once in awhile - I know I do.  |
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Post by Chris on Nov 13, 2004 4:59:01 GMT -5
I'm hosting my first cookie exchange - I really want to have a "Girls Night". Just can't figure out a nice way to say it in one the invite. Does anyone have a tactful way of saying "don't bring your kids or husbands"?
Thanks!
Chris
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Post by Sherrie on Nov 13, 2004 9:42:38 GMT -5
It's funny you should mention the husbands and kids. I just started my invitations last night and this is what I wrote: What to Bring: 1. 5 dozen of your favorite Christmas cookies 2. A new, unwrapped toy for "Toys for Tots" donation What Not to Bring: 1. Husbands/boyfriends and childred (this is a girl's night!) 2. Holiday stress! Let's just eat, drink and be merry and not worry about shopping, wrapping or decorating! Hope this helps! |
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Post by Tricia on Nov 13, 2004 12:40:31 GMT -5
"Just-for-women" event
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Post by Bonnie on Nov 14, 2004 7:27:38 GMT -5
Most ladies know that a cookie exchange is just for them and not thier spouses or kids - or you would like to think they do. I only had one gal ask two years ago if she could bring her two girls (9 and 11). I just told her that this was ladies only - our time to chill and enjoy without any kids or husbands around. She understood.
You could always put at the bottom of the invitations LADIES ONLY or NO SPOUSES OR KIDS PLEASE. ;D
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Post by Milissa on Nov 15, 2004 3:04:20 GMT -5
In my invitation, I worded it this way:
This will be a LADIES ONLY party. NO MEN - NO KIDS. If you need a babysitter for your man or your kids, I will arrange that for you. In this hectic time of shopping, wrapping, decorating and cooking, we all deserve a few hours for ourselves!
I already have a friend that has asked me to help her find a babysitter for her kids.
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Post by Liz on Nov 28, 2004 10:43:16 GMT -5
On the VERY bottom of my invitation, I put: This is a "girl" thing, please no husbands, boyfriends or children. No one gets offended (except for a child that wants to come) And if they get offended because they can't bring the kids, or significant other then they can stay home. One of the husband's joked he would wear a dress so that he could come and enjoy |
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