Saturday 4 December 2010

Cookie Swap Tradition

Our Cookie Swap Christmas Evening has become a tradition among my friends.  Dear Glenda has the task of putting it on, which is quite unfair, but she does have the most beautiful English looking house among us. She decorates her house for Christmas and has a pot of mulled wine on the stove.  It's the event of the year and not one to be missed for any reason. 

I think the most fun for me was making these little packages up.  I do like a bit of embellishing!  The girls enjoyed helping me too.

The day before most of us can be found in our kitchen preparing for the big swap.  Our houses are filled with the glorious smells of baking dough.  There are more often than not little helpers either making cookie cutter biscuits or licking the bowls.  It's a really exciting time for the whole family as they all know when they wake up there will be a visual feast for them.

Here are my chocolate macaroons just out of the oven.  Perhaps a little tanned but very chewy and rather delicious.  No.1 was home from school with a cold, so she was a big help to me.  The whole idea of getting my hands in and mixing was a huge turnoff!  Luckily she thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Here are some photos of the table when everyone had displayed their cookies.  All so nicely wrapped with ribbons and looking very festive.

It's the most exciting feeling when you go around the table selecting little packets put together with so much care and thought. 

Take a look at these very impressive tags that dear Glenda made for us.  They are wrapping papers cut to size and mounted on board.  Decoupage apparently.  Very nice and special.  A little momento of our lovely evening together.

 Oh lookie, there are my biscuits!!


And here is my filled basket that I took home at the end of the evening.  Can you imagine how much fun our girls had selecting their favourite cookie in the morning? 

And just look, two of them chose the same one!  Yes Liz, (devoted reader of my blog) they are yours!!!!  You are now a famous cookie maker!

 
And when the girls got home from school they were raving about them.  They have a big piece of peppermint chocolate bar in the middle of them - YUM!! 

If you haven't been to a cookie swap before, I'd say organise one, they are so much fun and completely worth all the baking the day before.  I've taken cookies to my mother, served them to more family members this morning and the girls are provided with a lovely selection for a whole week. 

Thanks so very much for all your hard work Glenda.  You did a brilliant job as usual and we all had a fabulous time.  My pretty tag is hanging on our Christmas tree.  I'm looking forward to next year's swap already.

22 comments:

JuanitaTortilla said...

A cookie swap sounds like a whole lot of fun, although the only cookie swap I'd ever be doing is with my husband. And that would be a one way swap *lol* :D

Megan said...

that is such a great idea! i would love to do something like this, might have to improve my baking skills first though! I love the idea of making all the little packages too :)

roseroomnz.com said...

What a wonderful idea! The girls lunches look great! What do they have in their sandwiches? I can't get my Princess to eat a sandwich for the life of me! Its the bain of my life! Rachaelxo

Unknown said...

Ohh What a fabulous idea and i adore the way you decorated yours with the doilys. have a great weekend. Dee x

Anonymous said...

So glad you all had so much fun-- it looks "truly scrumptious1"
Kindest Regards Linda

Pixiedust said...

What a lovely idea. We don't have anything like this in the UK, I'm going to my friends for winter solstice and taking a basket of cookies would make a lovely gift.Perhaps I can get all the ladies involved for a cookie swap. They all looked really yummy, thanks for sharing. xx

VintageVicki said...

Now that looks a fun event - my boys would enjoy the tasting :)

'Joyce' said...

oh my gosh, how wonderful, sorry I haven't popped over in ages, but I am catching up again. lol, it really is the silly season at this house. What a wonderful idea, a cookie swap, oh gosh, I would love to have a cookie swap. hmmmm, making a mental list of friends right now. It doesn't have to be Christmas does it? I could do it anytime of year really can't I? Oh how wonderful. Oh and also happy belated birthday wishes to you also. Your book looks wonderful, the cushion is so pretty and happy and I love your little houses. Have a wonderful week at your place.

Me and Ma said...

What a great idea sarah, sounds like such fun..You made me laugh with the comment about having an English looking house, what is that ? ;)

sallgood said...

Such cute packages of treats! When we do cookie exchanges, we often include the recipes too.

Lululiz said...

It does indeed sound like the event of the year! What a great idea.

Heidi said...

I'm so jealous I want to come next year, I was thinking of doing something like that, now I know I want too!

Willeke said...

What a great idea, a cookie swap. They're wrapped up very wonderful and I can almost smell the cookies here, yummie.
Happy belated birthday wishes to you! You've received many beautiful gifts. The fatties and the books are great. You've made beautiful little houses and the cushion is adorable too. Why don't you make another cushion with the vintage fabric? or make a cover for a recipe book.

Serenata said...

Oh what a yummy lunchbox...can you pack mine as well?!

Cookies galore, what fun.

Croap Queen said...

Not a lot to say really, except YUMMY!
My kind of party lol
x

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Sheila said...

Oh my goodness, how lovely, what a lucky lady!
They all look so yummy, and i love the displays, also the smell of mulled wine!!!YUMMY!
x

*❀* said...

mouthwatering!
makes me want to bake something right now :o)

A garden just outside Venice said...

Mmmmmmmh..what a heavenly sight for my tummy!!!!
(it's nearly lunchtime as I'm typing :)
xxx

Carrie @ Cottage Cozy said...

We are having our cookie exchange next Thursday and I am getting all kinds of wonderful ideas from my blogging friends! Lovely!

Angela said...

Still LOVING your beautiful blog.

My jam jar skirts which you sent me back in March have been put to good use on my home made mincemeat [check pic on my blog] Do you have mincemeat in NZ??

Advent blessings x

Becky (Hazel and Blue) said...

Love this idea! I will have to try this with my friends in the UK.
My Edmonds cook book will come in handy I think! Looing forward to following your crafty times:)