Temperatures are dropping, rain is falling, and Christmas décor is overflowing retail store shelves. When gardening chores are slowing down, it is a perfect time to plan a holiday cookie swap. Here are my recommended steps for a successful swap, based on personal experience.
Select a date and time. The choice between daytime or night and between weekday or weekend will dictate your choice of invitees. I prefer to host holiday cookie swaps in late November or very early December. This helps avoid conflicts with Christmas parties and allows guests to enjoy goodies before the inevitable sweet-fatigue that sets in after a few dozen gatherings. By January, most of us do not want to see decorated sugar cookies, no matter how pretty they are.
Develop the guest list. In my opinion, the ideal group size is fifteen or fewer. Since each participant will be asked to bring two or three cookies per guest, a larger group size requires more kitchen time than some people want to commit. I once attended a too-large swap. By the time I finished mixing, rolling, cutting, baking and decorating gingerbread men for 35 people, I (illogically) hated the hostess and each of the guests.
Invitations can be written (check online for cute invites) or emailed, but should spell out specific instructions. Here is the language from my last swap invite:
Please seal your cookies in zip bags, one large cookie or a couple of small cookies per bag. The number of bags needed will be provided once all invitees have confirmed their attendance.
Clearly mark any cookies with nuts (for our friends with food allergies).
Homemade cookies are preferred. You can bring cookies from the bakery, but we will talk about you behind your back.
Please provide a yes or no response by [date].
If you have extra cookies, feel free to bring them along to share as refreshments.
Non-cookie snacks and beverages will be provided.
Casual holiday attire is preferred.
Prepare the swap site and a container for each confirmed attendee. Ideally, swap containers will be in a different room or on a different table than refreshments for the event. Prepare a container for each guest to take home. I like the “shoebox” containers available in red, green, or clear in many dollar-type stores, but holiday tins work well too. Clearly label each guest’s container with a large-lettered card, “These cookies go home with [name].”
Provide hot and cold beverages. Cocoa, coffee, tea, sodas, and water are good for daytime events. For night time, add alcoholic choices like sangria or punch. Provide non-sweet refreshments. Fresh fruit and savory treats like crudites, cheese and crackers, or a hot seafood dip make a nice contrast from all the sweets.
A couple of optional items: You can ask each guest to identify which cookies they brought. You can also ask that they bring printed copies of their recipe, so guests can duplicate their favorites. To prevent no-shows, send a reminder email or text to each confirmed attendee two days before the event.
If invitees ask for recipe recommendations, steer them away from soft icings and towards firmer cookies like shortbread, brownies, turtles, snickerdoodles, or gingerbread men.
Decorate the swap container table with colorful linens, fresh flowers, fragrant greenery. Have plenty of zip bags available for guests who ignore the instructions. Crank up the holiday tunes and enjoy a fun event!
This gingerbread man looks a little startled at his future. A sandwich-size zip bag is the perfect means of keeping cookies fresh.
A sample invitation from a past cookie swap, with 14 participants. Each person brings 13 cookies, since they will not give themselves a treat.
This is the “swap” table, with a container for each guest to take home.