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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Aug 1, 2016 2:18:40 GMT
The one I attend has always been good. Candy is allowed, it all has to be handmade and enough copies of the recipe for everyone to take one home. We also come with the cookies pre-packaged (1/2 dozen) to take home. Half the fun is seeing how creative everyone is with their packaging. I see everything from Christmas ziplocs to fancy little packages from The Container Store. We also bring a dozen to share as dessert. Lunch is served, typically soups & salads.
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Post by workingclassdog on Aug 1, 2016 2:33:50 GMT
Set the guidelines early - do they have to be homemade or are store bought or made from a package ok? Are Choc Chip, regular peanut butter and oatmeal raisin excluded (because those are more everyday cookies)? Are you going to worry about duplicates (frosted sugar cookies come to mind)? How many are needed for each participant - is it a half dozen or a dozen to give away? Are you having people bring an extra half dozen or dozen to eat during the exchange? Will you serve dinner also, or just do the exchange? The one that I attended where someone was a smoker - their cookies tasted exactly like stale smoke. Nasty. Can I just say, this reminds me of the movie I saw (see my post) of Bad Moms... but sidewalk cookies..... (and I mean it in a nice, funny way...) not being cranky....
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Post by workingclassdog on Aug 1, 2016 2:40:45 GMT
Damn there are some rules.... I make chocolate chip cookies, I make them good, I get tons of compliments.. I don't do well with other cookies.. so take me and my chocolate chip cookies or I guess I will get store bought ones. I went to one cookie exchange and really didn't care for the fancy cookies.... nor did the family... I like good old fashion simple cookies...
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Post by PolarGreen12 on Aug 1, 2016 2:45:30 GMT
A friend of mine throws one of these every year about two weeks before Christmas. It's very casual, old Christmas movie on the tv, she makes a few appetizers, there's wine and coffee, and usually only about 10 of us. I always make Aunt Belle's Magic cookie recipe from the old board. I just change up the flavoring each every year. I've done almond, lemon, cherry, and peppermint. My absolute favorite is the almond ones! The host just requests we each bring 2 dozen homemade cookies and. She has always provided some little goodie boxes to take a selection of cookies home in.
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Post by tmarschall on Aug 1, 2016 3:18:29 GMT
A couple of years ago I hosted a cookie swap which turned out pretty well--I wasn't able to find a "good" night to have it because of other parties so I had a brunch on a Saturday morning and it turned out great. We made a half dozen cookies for each person so it wasn't hard on anyone. I baked couple of extra varieties so everyone left with plenty of cookies. I provided baggies for the take home cookies and bought the inexpensive "shopper" type gift bags (I think maybe at Michael's) a pack of 12 and gave everyone one of those to take their cookies in--turned out really cute. I also picked up things like hot pads, spatulas and cookies cutters, you know Christmas kitchen stuff and wrapped them in clear cellophane and tied them with ribbons and we had my granddaughter draw names for the "hat" for the winners--that also turned out really well and I didn't really spend a lot of money on them. Was great fun, but circumstances have kept me form doing it the last couple of years--maybe again soon!!! Love your ideas for door prizes/drawing!
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Post by Delta Dawn on Aug 1, 2016 4:11:57 GMT
We were invited to to a cookie exchange at Christmas one year and were supposed to be 8 dozen cookies. Each recipient was to get a dozen cookies. We politely declined. We did not have time to make 96 cookies. Even with two of us doing this we didn't have time.
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skippet
Junior Member
Pea #417158 - Member since 2009 & only managed 17 posts
Posts: 97
Jun 30, 2014 1:12:49 GMT
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Post by skippet on Aug 1, 2016 5:31:07 GMT
I "invented" a simple Christmas chocolate chip cookie way back when I was a teenager that everyone in my family, friends, neighbors and co-workers always begged for the recipe. Now my nieces and nephews tell me that it is THE special cookie that their kids insist it isn't Christmas without it. I make different kinds of Christmas cookies, but if that one chocolate ship one isn't among the selection, I really hear about it.
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cycworker
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,375
Jun 26, 2014 0:42:38 GMT
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Post by cycworker on Aug 1, 2016 5:32:58 GMT
I tend to make it so the number of cookies is determined by the number of participants. If you only have 4 or 5 people, a dozen isn't so bad.
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Post by mlynn on Aug 1, 2016 6:34:25 GMT
I would much rather get home-made chocolate chip cookies than store bought cookies. To me store cookies are kind of tasteless. And lots of times kids do not care for the "Christmas cookies" so they chocolate chip are good to include for them.
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