First Cookie exchange...
After moving from a subdivision, (lived there for 40 years) to start a hobby farm for our family… we had only been in this small house for 10 weeks!
It was 3 weeks until Christmas, the kitchen was still under renovation and the crew had taken off for the holidays.
There were no drawers or doors in my kitchen cabinets, my Christmas decorations were buried in the basement, under hundreds of moving boxes… but my Christmas Cookie Exchange was going to happen no matter what!
Entertaining Family and Friends
Christmas is a cherished holiday in our family.
My mom’s house was beautiful and spotlessly clean. At Christmas it looked like Country Living Magazine!
She would shop all year for the perfect gifts for every person in our family…
The love of Christmas was passed down to me…in a big way!
Decorating, baking, wrapping, shopping, cooking and tree trimming (5 trees) gives me great joy!
But…my all-time favorite part is
having family and friends over to share it all with!
Past Cookie Exchange Parties...
For the past 15 years or so, I have had a bi-annual cookie exchange for around 18- 25 of my friends.
Everyone would bring 10 dozen cookies and we would exchange after a light brunch.
The Party Theme
After decades of party and event planning…I always start with a theme.
This helps when planning the decorations, meal and favor.
Since we moved to a farm, I decided to go with a “Woodland Theme“.
Now to get the courage to go down in the basement and look for my Christmas decorations, lol!
In my old house, everything was perfectly organized and I knew exactly where everything was!
In this house, the moving men had literally piled the boxes from the far wall in the storage room to the stairs…not even leaving an isle!
It took me 3 hours to make and isle and find the Christmas boxes that I needed…ugh.
Hauling them upstairs, I sorted ornaments until I found some that would go with a woodland theme.
I made these gnomes over 25 years ago….they would work perfectly as the main decor in the decorations.
Choosing the favor
Usually I built the entire party around a central theme with a hand crafted favor made for each person.
This takes a lot of love…and a lot of time.
But this year time was one thing I didn’t have… my theme was natural and woodsy, what could I use that would be cute, easy, fast and fit my theme?
Pinterest to the rescue! I’m sure I have a board named “Favors”… maybe I saved something that would work!
The idea I had pinned was a tin can, covered with plaid flannel, filled with evergreens! Perfect!
There were a variety of pine and spruce trees on the property that could be pruned.
Calling my friends and family, a tin can collection began in various sizes.
The fabric store had 4 different flannel plaids that were Christmassy colors.
I cut the various patterns of flannel the size of each can and glued it on. After filling the cans with floral foam, arrangements were made from the evergreens I cut from the back field.
It was the easiest favor I had ever made, and one of the cutest! Turning the placesettings upside down, saved pineneedles from getting into your lunch, lol!
Big Party...Small house.
My best friend, Sandi, is always at my side! Somehow, we fit two tables and 18 chairs in my kitchen/dining room!
This was the first time my friends had been to the farm.
Even though the kitchen wasn’t finished, the plumbing was hooked up…both ovens were connected to gas and electric, the countertops were in.
This little house was starting to feel like home…
An all day affair...
After lunch we cleaned up the kitchen and prepared to bake cookies.
Years ago we starting using my mom’s recipe for Raspberry filled tart cookies.
They are quite the labor of love, lol!
My motto is “many hands make work light” so we formed an assembly line, to roll, cut, fill, assemble and bake 15 dozen cookies.
Pushing all the tables together, the girls brought the cookies they had baked at home, and made a nice display.
Each person brings an extra box to carry cookies home.
Depending on how many guests there are, we take the designated amount from each kind.
We each baked 6 dozen cookies at home. So that is 72 cookies…if 18 guests are here, each guest gets 4 cookies of each kind.
So my cookie exchange went off with out a hitch…Christmas was delightful and the New Year would start our new lives on the farm.
Stay tuned for the completion of the kitchen…and the very first
animals to join us on the farm.
Thanks for stopping by!
Sandy
No one does Christmas like you! We all feel the joy. Hope to join you this year ❤️
Thank you T! I’m so excited for you to join us!
This made me tear up! I love how you’ve continued to carry Nana’s love for Christmas to everyone in your life. I love this blog and you!!
Dearest Lex! You are right there with me! Thank you sweet girl!
If you are not in the Christmas spirit, Sandy’s Cookie Exchange and her Mrs Claus personality will get you into that spirit.
Thank you so much Linda! We sure have had some fun times together!
I cannot tell you how much I love your cookie exchange!!! And I love that our Christmas cookies are all done, and in a beautiful variety, all packed up and ready to put in the freezer! Anybody who stops over has quite a choice!! Thank you Sandy!!!🎄🥠🍪
It’s so fun to have everyone over for a day of baking and eating! Looking forward to this year…already have my theme idea😘
It was a wonderful time of friendship, and so much fun to be able to cook and bake together! The favors were absolutely adorable, as always! And we all enjoyed seeing your new home! It was decorated so beautifully!
Trish, Thank you for the kind words! Lots of fun in the coming years!
S.
Sandy your friends are so fortunate to have you in their lives, as well as your grandchildren. You have to be the coolest grandmother.
You have such a big heart full of love and it shows in all you do.
I am thankful God brought us together through FB, I consider you a friend and a kindred spirit in Christ♥️
Hi Debbie! What sweet words…thank you!
Some wonderful memories Sandy, I love how you spread joy wherever you are.❤️❤️
Miss you Holly.
Beautiful!
We have met, I am Sandi’s half sister, Carol Beem.
She has shared with me her friendship with you.
Your home is such a delight and I thank you for sharing
this post. I am looking forward to more!
Hi Carol so nice to hear your encouraging words♥️