One of my favorite holiday traditions is the Cookie Exchange Party. With an abundance of cookies, friends and holiday spirit, how could it not be? I’ve thrown a few cookie parties in my day, so here are some tips for throwing a super easy and festive cookie exchange party!
Theme
Pick a theme! Whether it’s red and green, winter wonderland or snowman themed, pick a theme and stick to it! Plan your invitations, tablescape, napkins and to-go boxes around the theme for a cohesive look.
Cookies
It wouldn’t be a cookie exchange without cookies now, would it? Instruct your guests to bring enough cookies for everyone to try, about 3 dozen should be enough. Make sure you get the names of the cookies ahead of time so you can label them in case of allergies.
Cocktails and more!
Have a signature cocktail or a hot chocolate bar for guests to enjoy with their cookies. I also suggest having mini sandwiches or a crudite tray to cut the sweetness of the cookies.
Swap!
Set all the cookies out on a table with their labels until you have a sea of cookies! Now it’s time to taste! There’s two ways to go about this: 1) Have guests pick out their favorite cookies to take home, or 2) have guests taste the cookies at the party and vote on their faves!
Time to Get Real
If you choose the second option, each guest will have a bite of a cookie and vote on their faves. There can be different categories – Best Decorated, Best Tasting and so on! Each winner gets a prize and each guest gets to take home a box full o’ cookies to their family!
To-Go
Speaking of to-go boxes, gable boxes are my favorite. You can order them in any color or pattern and they look pretty lined up waiting to be filled with cookies! Line the boxes with tissue and encourage your guests to fill them up with their sweet treats! For an added bonus you can create recipe books with all of the cookie recipes from the party.
If you like throwing a cookie exchange party, why not make it an annual tradition? Your friends and family will look forward to it every year! Happy baking and happy holidays!
Jackie Fogartie (often known as Jackie Fo) is a NJ born, NC living event planner and freelance writer/blogger. Five plus years ago, Jackie started an events and wedding planning business based in Charlotte, North Carolina called Jackie Fogartie Events handling events of all sizes from intimate baby showers to large weddings. In addition to making events go off without a hitch, Jackie writes a blog covering all things food, cocktail and party. She has also written for brands such as General Mills, Aladdin insulated mason jars and Proctor & Gamble. You can often find her staying true to her NJ Italian roots by eating big bowls of pasta and drinking copious amounts of red wine. Cheers!
