When's the best date?

[Cindy]

I'm planning my first cookie exchange this year. It's actually been in the planning stages for about 3 months now. I had it scheduled for Sunday, December 12th. I found out today that my husband's family will be coming in from out of town that weekend to celebrate Christmas. They'll be leaving the morning of the 12th. Needless to say, I'm not sure what the condition of my house will be on the 12th (since the entire family is coming over on the 11th). Any opinions on changing the date to the 5th or the 19th? Either one of those dates too early or too late? Too close to Thanksgiving or too close to Christmas?

Just asking for another opinion. Don't want my first exchange to be a flop!

[Katherine]

I think the later it is, the less people you'll get, for the same reason you are rescheduling. Things keep coming up & people get too busy.

Definitely go with your earlier date.

[Katherine]

Sorry for the ugly smiley face. They don't seem to work on my computer. It was supposed to be the happy one.

[KB]

I always do mine the first Monday of December. This gives my guests all weekend to bake their cookies.

I have it Monday morning after all the kids are off to school. This gives the women a couple of hours to relax before the onset of the busy holiday season.

I give them information on how to freeze their cookies. My cookies always come out wonderful as we get closer to the holiday season.

Hope this helps. Karen

[Bonnie]

Last year I did mine the Sunday afternoon before Christmas. That seemed like a great time since there were no more school events, church events or other parties going on. Also, most of the ladies were done with Christmas shopping, etc. so they were ready to relax. The exchange was from 2pm-5pm.

This year for me and most of my friends December will be packed with activities and the last Sunday before Christmas won't work for me. I am still determined to have an exchange though so I am going to either shoot for December 18th (Saturday afternoon) or do it during the week - maybe a Thursday or Friday evening.

I will probably send out more invites this year since I do anticipate a smaller crowd (from my regulars).

[Robin]

I try to not make mine too close to Christmas. My party is the first or second weekend of Dec. It's what gets me in the holiday mode. As it gets close to Christmas, there's just too much going on. I'm not one of those people that shop all year for Christmas. I start the day after Thanksgiving and go, go, go until Christmas. Usually stop around the 21st, then it's wrap, cook, wrap, cook, wrap, cook... and then drop dead on Christmas morn. When the marathon is over, I'm on "mall burnout" and don't want to step foot in one for many months afterwards.

[Joann]

First I must say I am so glad I found this board!!! I had been to Robin's website when I first started my swap 2 years ago and this is fantastic!

I too am trying to figure out the best date, this will be my 3rd swap and I have held each on the first Sunday in December. My attendance was about 8 each time. I invited mostly my neighbors and have come to find out that I am competing with a few of the neighborhood's children's birthday parties. Personally, Sun. afternoon is easiest for me instead of a weeknight and it does give you Saturday to bake your cookies. I would love other's opinions on Sunday or weeknight. I do not think a Sat. brunch or afternoon would go over too well with my current group, althougth I am expanding my invite list this year to include about 10 people outside of my neighborhood.
I think there are different rules of thumb too on doing it early Dec vs. later on. To me the later you wait, the more you have to compete with.

[Bonnie]

I guess the date and time always depends on the group of people and what is going on at the time. Most of my friends have kids involved either with school programs or church events so closer to Christmas means they are finished. Also, most of the company parties (one that still have company parties), neighborhood parties, etc. are finished by the Sunday before Christmas.

I really wish I could do mine the 19th instead of the 18th since I do prefer a Sunday afternoon but this year my women's group is doing a Christmas party for needy kids (that's a priority for sure).

I am expanding my invite list though just to make sure I have a good attendance.

One year I would love to be invited to someone elses cookie exchange. I only know one other gal that does one each year and it is a neighborhood exchange (she invites around 50 women).

[laurenmilan]

I think that the first weekend in December works out really well for me... not too many folks host holiday parties that weekend anyway so there's little competition, and because of that, we're helping them get READY for their entertaining by giving them a good cookie selection in the swap!

Fortunately, the group I'm hosting this for gets the local Community Center the first Sunday afternoon of every month, so that solves the issue of where to hold it... we host our meeting at noon, the exchange starts at 2. People start to leave at 4, and by 5, we're out of there, and even have time to attend evening engagements, shop, get ready for the work week, etc.

[Marlene]

I always have my exchange the 3rd Sunday of December. 2-5pm. This seems to work out well. I have about 90% of those invited in attendance. Good luck, relax and have a great time!