Host a Holiday Cookie Exchange

Everyone loves Christmas cookies! Instead of slaving in the kitchen for days to generate a decent assortment, just invite your friends over for a cookie exchange.

Every year my high school gal-pals convene for an annual cookie and ornament exchange.

We have been doing this since we graduated from high school. Our trees are adorned with all of the lovely

christmas cookies (Photo credit: delayedneutron)

ornaments that we have exchanged over the years.

Each person brings four dozen home-made cookies. The goal is for each participant to bring home six cookies from each assortment. We have eight bakers so we make 48 cookies each. The more people you invite, the more cookies you have to bake.

You can pre-package six cookies in festive bags if you prefer. It’s a good idea to make copies of the recipes to distribute. We  have always talked about creating a cookbook with our recipes, but we haven’t done that yet. Maybe when we retire we will get around to that.

To make the event more festive, we always display our favorite holiday decor.  A Christmas Village and a Nativity scene are mandatory elements of our annual event.

Our grown children still anxiously anticipate the gala soiree. They do not allow us to deviate from our cookie repertoire because they all have favorites that they can’t live without.

Cover of Christmas Cookies!

After we indulge in appetizers and wine, we have cookies and coffee. We fill our cookie tins with the remaining assortment of holiday favorites and bring plenty of goodies home to share with with our familes.

If you need inspiration, I have pinned plenty of Cookie Recipes and Holiday Decorating ideas on my Pinterest Boards:

http://pinterest.com/vinoconvista/christmas-cookies-and-holiday-treats/ (Cookie Recipes)

http://pinterest.com/vinoconvista/christmas-decorations-for-your-home/ 

(Christmas Decorating Ideas)

Happy Holidays from www.vino-con-vista.com

My first attempt at fancy, schmancy christmas cookies. Mmmmmm. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Christmas cookies that Yvette and I decorated. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

More chocolate chip cookies with swirls (Photo credit: Wikipedia)