Scenes from a Cookie Exchange Party

My 1st annual Christmas cookie exchange has come and gone and all I can say is, it was worth the wait! I had a wonderful time and want to thank my sweet friends Amy, Beth, Carrie, Claire and Jolene for making it so much fun and for sharing all of their wonderful cookies. I think we all agreed that the best part of the event was getting to socialize without kids or hubbies and to just take time for ourselves during this very hectic time of year.

I wish I had taken more pictures but as usual I got so caught up in the moment that I forgot. Although I was too full from all the real food to test too many cookies during the party, I had the chance later in the day and they were all wonderful!

This is what everyone took their cookies home in. I had the labels made here and they say:

homemade

The Christmas Cookie Exchange

baked with love

I highly recommend these labels that can be customized with whatever you want. The tags were made with red and white cardstock cut in graduated size ovals, an eyelet threaded with red and white string and these twinkle letters glued on. After the party it can be used as an ornament.

There were cookie place cards that went in front of each plate of sample cookies on the table.

Everyone also brought copies of their recipes and this is mine for the Cinnamon Roll Cookies I made which I printed on parchment style cardstock. I'm sending out a big thank you to my sweet hubby for doing the graphics for the cookie place cards and my recipe cards. You saved me sweetie!

Carrie wins the award for prettiest presentation. I didn't even know we were going to be giving an award for it, but after seeing these, I had no choice. What she did is so clever and simple that I have to share it with you. She took cardboard and covered it with Christmas scrapbook paper which she attached with tape, put her cookies on it, covered it with saran wrap and tied a bow around. Easy peasey lemon squeezie. I'm so stealing this idea.

I wish I had gotten a picture of all of the food. I overestimated how much we girls could eat so I will be feasting on it for days. We had roquefort pinwheels, yeast rolls with ham, sausage balls, artichoke dip & pita chips, a peppered cheese ball and crackers and veggies with a savory dip. Guess what I'm having for lunch? I did manage to snap a picture of the hot chocolate with peppermint stick stirrer, snowman marshmallow, whipped cream and sprinkles. Can you imagine a better way to drink your cocoa?


So ladies, mark your calanders for the 1st Saturday of December 2007 because I can't wait to do it again. I promise I'll have more wine next time.