One of my favorite holiday traditions of days gone by is the Cookie Exchange. It is an easy way to get people together, create variety platters of cookies, and create holiday memories.
Inviting people to a Christmas Cookie Exchange is about swapping cookies and recipes, while sharing quality time with people that that may not have been seen for awhile. The people who love to cook are first on the list of invitees. These people (usually women) will outdo themselves in an effort to create the most delicious creations at the party. The artist type will have spent large quantities of time meticulously decorating each cookie. The career woman will have a quick and easy recipe to make.
Be sure to explain to guests that they should bring at least 3 dozen cookies and an equal number of 8 ½ x 11 photocopies of the recipes to be compiled into a scrapbook. Stationary can be purchased at an office supply store or created on a home computer. Let the guests know that their cookies will be judged for creativity, baking ease, and ethnic appeal (Swiss, Polish etc).
Once guests arrive to the exchange, have them put the cookies that they brought on the dining room table (use the entire circumference). Assign each type of cookie a number, using paper cutouts made from tracing cookie cutters. Also write the name and description of the cookie on the paper.
Hand out pre-made ballots to each guest and ask them quietly circulate the dining room table and view the cookies. Have them vote for one in each category. Tally the votes and award prizes for each category. Prizes can be cookie presses, a recipe book, tubes of icing, or a baking sheet. These can be purchased at a dollar store.
Provide each guest with a decorative platter (purchased at a dollar store) and have them circle the table, putting one of each type of cookie on their platter. If there are extras, the guests may make a second circle. Once everyone has completed making their platters of cookies, provide saran wrap and tags for each guest to wrap and identify their platter.
Next, create the recipe scrapbook. Have each guest choose a seat. Hand each guest a 3 ring binder pre-filled with sheet protectors. One at a time, invite each guest to hand out their 8 ½ x 11 stationery with copied recipes on them (be sure she includes herself). After everyone has handed out their uniquely styled stationery, have each guest insert the recipes into their sheet protectors. A scrapbook will automatically be created because of the variety in the stationery paper used. Take a digital photo of the group and then excuse yourself, leaving guests to chat. Add in the text (date, occasion) and print it off a copy for everyone on stationery. Hand them out to each guest to put in the front of the binder.
Originally published in print paper, Sebasticook Valley Weekly
