Cookie Swap Help please

[mommylovesdisneymore]

I have been chossen to Host a cookie swap and have never done this before. Iwant it to be small but fun and entertaining. I am inviting about 15- 20 guest. Any ideas on decorations themes, christmas of course but what else and what to do for goodies and goody bags . Should we play Christmas music or view a Classic Christmas movie. Please any help and also some great Christmas Cookie recipes and suggestions would really be appreciated
Thanks so much
Holly

[tiggerfan1]

I saw a cookie swap thread on the community board a few weeks ago. It had lots of great advice and a few recipes. Here's the link:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1647457


I'll dig up some cookie recipes and post them later today.

[tiggerfan1]

Here's a recipe for lemon raspberry thumbprint cookies.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/raspberry-lemon-thumbprint-cookies-recipe2/index.html

It's best to let the dough chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before you fill and bake them. When I make these cookies, I leave out the Chambord.

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Here's a recipe for rugelach.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/rugelach-recipe/index.html


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Here's a recipe for gingerbread cookies.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/gingerbread-boys-and-girls-recipe/index.html


Just so you'll know, there is a typo that has never been corrected in this recipe. The recipe should call for 2 3/4 cups of flour NOT 3 3/4 cups. The first time I made this recipe, I didn't read the reviewers' warnings and ended up with dry, tasteless cookies. :sad2:


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Here's a recipe for chocolate snowballs that I want to try this year.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/recipe.aspx?recipeID=40863&Source=SearchResultPage&terms=chocolate%20snowballs

[disneygirl1972]

A gingerbread theme would be cute considering the "cookie part". If not, Dollar Tree has cute themed kitchen accessories right now. You could invest in a whole theme relatively inexpensive. I think they had a santa theme, a penguin theme & maybe a snowman. They had aprons, dish towels, potholders & mitts, plates, bowls....

[Arizona Rita]

I have been hostessing a cookie exchange for the past 7 or so ears for the ladies I work with. They have come to expect it and around October I start getting questions about when, etc.
A couple of years ago everyone decided that 6 cookies was too many considering the amount of people who come. So I'll give you a little breakdown of my party.
We exchange 4 cookies per person= 4pp x 20=80 cookies each person makes.
Cookies must be festively wrapped and I usually give a little prize for best.
We have a potluck and I usually make the meat dish.
We all eat lunch and then we go into my front room and sit in a circle. Now Im lucky here because my daughter is a girl scout and I have her and a couple of my other girls pass the cookies out.
Everyone cleans up after that and goes home.
It lasts about 2 hours and I always do it on the first Saturday of December.

Now you asked about entertainment.
Music, yes. Movie, no. Ladies like to talk.:goodvibes
In the past we have made extra sets of cookies and have given them to the military or to a girls home.
One of the most anticipated thing at my party is that we have a dish towel exchange.
Each person buys a new dishtowel of their choosing, mostly holiday, 1-3 dollars.
They bring this wrapped with no names on it and place it under my tree.
Before we pass out the cookies, but after lunch, when we are sitting in our circle, we each have been given a number and we taken turns picking a towel. One can either choose one that hasnt been unwrapped yet or can steal from another person. Once the towel has been stolen twice., it is considered dead and can no longer be stolen.
I have never made party bags for this but if your crafty you could make something.
Did I say brief earlier? Oh well! I ramble!:goodvibes
Hope you have fun and happy baking!!

PS there is a site called Robins cookie exchange and I think if you google it, it should come up. She is like the queen of cookie exchanges!
:santa: Rita

[jiminyC_fan]

Rita, I love the sound of your party. I have only been to one party but yours certainly tops the one I went to!

[luckey-lasvegas]

Oriental trading had really cute gingerbread plates ect.
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=15&sku=PT1192&prodCatId=378062&mode=Browsing&erec=0&sp=true&Ntk=all&mr=BS_Browse_Theme+Packs_Family+Themes&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&cm_re=PS-_-PPack-_-F3L5&N=378062&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&in_merch=1&sd=Candytown+Party+Theme

We always brng a 1/2 dozen for each person at the party and a dozen to sample. We play music eat a potluck lunch have a little wine and talk talk talk! It's nice to get away for a while and just relax.