Organizing Christmas Cookie Exchange
Are you having trouble getting enthused about organizing your home? Sometimes the best way to get motivated and organize your home is to invite guests over. Today I’m challenging you to pick a date between now and the end of the year to host a cookie and/or appetizer exchange party!
Plenty of folks enjoy having a variety of cookies on hand, especially during the holidays, and a cookie exchange is a fun and easy way to host a party with minimal shopping, expense, baking and dishes to clean. (My kind of party!)
Christmas cookie exchange parties look even more festive when tables are decorated with beautiful cookies.
You can host an exchange party with any theme: desserts, appetizers or specialty dishes but cookie and appetizer exchange parties are my personal favorites.
Here’s an organized plan for a Couples’ Holiday Cookie and Appetizer Exchange Party. This is the perfect type of party to host during the evening, however, a simple cookie exchange (minus the appetizers) makes a great ladies’ morning coffee gathering or an after-school get together. In fact, you can modify this idea for nearly any sort of exchange party, from gourmet to simple. The trick is to keep the amounts of food small and manageable so they’re easy to share and nibble.
A gorgeous gingerbread house is the perfect centerpiece for a holiday table.
What you do:
Explain in your invitations that each person will be responsible for either an appetizer or a bunch of cookies. For ease of explaining, I’ll use “His” and “Hers” to demonstrate and assume that you will invite 12 couples (24 people + you and your partner, for a total of 26 mouths to feed).
His job: Make festive appetizers to share with 24 other guests (26 including you two).
Her job: Bake one type of holiday cookie or candy. Place a half-dozen homemade cookies or candies, with a copy of the recipe, inside one of 13 individual bags, (I prefer using the Ziploc-brand bags found in grocery stores) tins or boxes. In addition, provide a platter with a dozen cookies (same type, and cut into bite-sized pieces if they’re not already small) to be sampled at the party.
Family favorite cookie recipes are the best-loved at Christmas cookie swaps.
Note: You will be baking 90 cookies total – 13 Ziploc bags with a half dozen each, plus a dozen to put on the table (for sharing at the party.)
Reserve a day for the baking because this is a whole lot of cookies!
As host or hostess, you provide the drinks and hospitality. Make your party as elegant or as casual as you’d like. While some use this an excuse to bring out their best china and table decorations, others will opt for disposable, recyclable paper plates and napkins.
Best of all, there are several benefits:
1. You’ll be motivated to organize and spruce up your home
2. You end up with fabulous food to share with your family and freeze for future use
3. You’ll socialize with people you enjoy
4. Your home will smell great — nothing says, “HOLIDAYS” like freshly baked cookies
5. You will be creating warm, happy memories in your very own home
Enjoy!
About Geralin ThomasI'm an organizing consultant located in the Raleigh area. "Metrozing" (my company's nickname) specializes in helping chronically disorganized clients. If you, or someone you care about, needs help organizing an office, home, time or life, we can help! Or, if you're interested in becoming a professional organizer, please explore the many ways I can help you build a better professional organizing business that is sustainable and sensible via phone-coaching sessions. We can socialize on: Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter [@Metrozing] and LinkedIn. Or leave a message on my office phone: 919 380-7718 Looking for resources? Click the "SHOP" button located in the upper right corner of my website.
