Dear SugarSource,
I would like to host a holiday cookie exchange this year (they sound like a lot of fun) but don’t quite know where to start. What do I need to make sure the event is successful? I’m hoping this turns into an annual tradition if all turns out well. Any tips you have would be helpful!
Sincerely,
Holiday Baker
Dear Holiday Baker,
Tis the season for a Holiday Cookie Party! If you are serving as the potential hostess this year, there are a few simple steps you can take to make sure that this is as fun and stress-free as possible:
– Send invites. Why not send a festive e-vite? Snail mail would be preferable, but if you are on a time-crunch or stressed with holiday errands, an e-vite will certainly do. E-vite.com and other sites will let you select a template that best fits your event.
– Set guest expectations. This really depends on the kind of party you would like to have – if it is just a cookie exchange, then maybe it will be a little more low-key. If you want guests to decorate a few cookies, make that clear in the invite (so no one shows up in apparel that can’t take a little accidental frosting encounter). For my parties, I request that each person bring at least one type of Christmas cookie to share, and recommend that they have a rough count of how many cookies they’ve baked and to either pre-package them in portions or bring plastic bags/gift containers to parcel them out at the party. A crucial part of a cookie exchange is knowing how many attendees you will have – stress this in the invitation so everyone can plan accordingly.
– Serve yummy food! This is particularly important if you are scheduling the party over lunch, brunch or dinner times. Finger foods, snacks and a central meal item like chili/soup can be sufficient to satiate guests while leaving plenty of room for cookie-tasting – no need to make several courses for this casual holiday get-together! Depending on the number of people and the atmosphere you are trying to create, you could ask guests to bring certain items as well – bread, dips, wine, etc.
– Prepare a decorating station (optional). If you would like to give your guests an option to decorate a few cookies, I have a few tips to keep the mess under control. First, you should provide the cookies for decorating (perhaps they will count as your batch to share). Tape wax paper onto the decorating surface. Mix a basic icing on the spot, asking guests for preferred colors (white, blue, yellow, green will be the most popular – red is best saved for sugars, as it will take a lot of food coloring to get close to a true red). I recommend making quite a bit of white icing, putting half into a Ziploc bag, sealing and snipping a corner for an easy piping bag for detailing. I would instruct party attendees to sprinkle to their hearts’ content over a pie plate (to collect any stray sugar crystals), and have sections segmented out onto wax paper/cookie sheets for each guest to keep track of their decorated items. You can give this a try the first year and, if guests aren’t particularly interested in decorating the first go-round, maybe scrap it for the following year.
– Create a festive ambiance! Holiday music seems like a given, but you would be surprised! A holiday movie playing in the background can be a nice touch as well as long as the television isn’t too large or distracting. After all, you don’t want your guests to be crowded around the TV – you want them to be socializing and celebrating the season! Holiday-specific plates and napkins aren’t necessary, as festive colors and touches on serving and dining surfaces will do the trick. That being said, if you want to step it up a notch you could have a fantastic array of colored sugars and decorations, or try one of the Holiday party starters from Revelry House.
– Provide small party favors. This year, for example, I am giving each guests an oven mitt with my cookies inside. It’s a cute way to package your sweets for everyone, and gives them a useful holiday gift for any additional baking/cooking this season. To save yourself and your guests from headaches, have extra plastic bags on hand for guests to use to divide up cookie portions during the exchange. I’ve found peppermint-striped cellophane at party stores to be a festive vehicle for holiday treats.
I hope this is helpful. Best of luck putting together your party!
Until next time,
SugarSource
SugarSource 