It’s Almost Christmas

A cookie swap or cookie exchange is a time when friends gather to share cookies with one another. The advantage of a swap is that each person leaves with a variety of homemade cookies. Some will make sugar cookies with icing, while others will make Russian tea cakes or gingerbread cookies. A Christmas cookie swap is really a gift that friends give one another.

Is it your turn to host the annual Christmas cookie swap? Hosting a cookie swap is easy if your follow these steps.

Goal: You want to gather your friends together to share laughter, good food, and scrumptious cookies with friends. You want everyone to have a good time and leave home with a fresh selection of tasty cookies to share with their family.

Invitations: Planning your Christmas cookie swap begins with the invitations.

• Make or buy invitations. This is a good time to show any hidden artistic talents.
• Set a date and time for the cookie swap. Make sure date and time is convenient for all. Weekends are the best time, aim for a drowsy Sunday afternoon near but not too close to Christmas itself. Try to pick a day after you have finished decorating your house.
• Ask people to RSVP so you will know how many people are attending and how many cookies you need to bake.
• Send a quick email to your friends after the RSVPs are in to let them know how many cookies they will need to bring.

The week of the event: Buy paper goods (napkins, holiday paper plates, etc.), baking supplies, and table decorations. You don’t have to have flowers but a Christmas wreath make your home more festive. Don’t forget Christmas candy and snacks.

The night before: You can begin your baking your favorite cookies the night before the event. You can use your family’s favorite cookie recipe or try something new. Your kids will probably want to help you decorate some of the cookies. When your baking is done, arrange the cookies on a Christmas tray, cover them with wrap, and set them aside in a cool area. You don’t have to think about making dessert, because everyone is bring it.

It’s a good idea to decorate your main table the night before the swap because you will be very busy the next day. You will need one table to hold cups and saucers, creamer, dessert plates, flatware, and sugar bowl. You may want to use a beautifully designed poinsettia centerpiece for that table. You will need another table to hold the trays of baked cookies. Now you’re all set and can get some shuteye!

On the D-day, make preparations for your visitors with coffee and tea. When your friends arrive finally, with their deliciously baked cookies. Show your friends to the cookie table, and let each one keep their plate or tray of nice smelling cookies on the table.

The day of the Christmas cookie swap: Tidy up the rooms where your guest will be first thing. An hour before the swap begins, put out some Christmas candy and snacks. Make coffee just before the time you expect your friend to arrive. If possible, use your best freshly ground coffee. When your friends arrive, put their baked goodies on the cookie table. Once everyone has had a chance to drink a cup of coffee and catch up on each others news, it’s time to start the swapping cookies. Everyone goes round the cookie table in a clockwise manner, stopping to take a few cookies from each cookie tray. Be sure to have Christmas paper plates to hold their cookies. When the cookies are all gone, wrap each one’s plate and label it so they will get the cookies they wanted. Then it’s time to get a fresh cup of coffee and sit down to chat. Finally, everyone goes home with a batch of cookies for their friends and visitors.

On this day, you have not just planned another Christmas cookie swap, you’ve just added the icing to the Christmas cookie story for times to come.