Holiday Cookie Party Times Two

~About 10 years ago a neighbor and I decided to co-host a ladies holiday tea and cookie exchange. It started out as a lovely affair with a few neighborhood ladies. We used our holiday china to serve finger sandwiches and appetizers. Wine and wassail served in our good crystal, and we used cloth napkins and tablecloths.
Over the years it has developed (turned into!) a huge, much more laid back event with contests and prizes.
One year there were over 70 women. Who thought that having 70 women in my house would be fun?? The number of people wasn’t really the problem, the fact that each person had to bring at least 3 dozen cookies was. There were cookies everywhere – counters, tables, on the piano, the sofas, and chairs – basically any flat surface had cookies on it. And it took forever to distribute them.
That year I swore I wouldn’t do it again. Well, I did do it again, and again. It has been scaled back and now it is so much more fun. We serve wine in plastic cups and use paper plates and napkins.
We have contests and prizes - most Martha Stewart like, my kids’ helped (obviously!), most festive, best in show. The prizes are ribbons, cookie cutters, and the “big prize” is the golden spatula. The spatula gets passed from year to year to the winner of the best (worst!) overall.
My husband and kids love all the cookies we get, there is just no way I would (could!) make that many or that variety of cookies.
And it just wouldn’t be the holidays without the cookie party!
So again this year, we are off to host the cookie party. Tis the Season!


~The second holiday cookie party is the teacher/staff appreciation party that I started years ago at one of my kids’ school. It has now become a wonderful tradition that the teachers and staff wouldn’t dare let go away.

Here’s how it works ---
We ask each family to send in 2 dozen cookies. The cookies can be purchased, baked and even sliced and baked – it doesn’t matter, just as long as you send in cookies. (It is strictly voluntary but most families participate.)
After lunch on a Friday afternoon, we decorate the lunch room and spread out all the cookies.
We serve milk to go with the cookies and we play holiday music.
We give each teacher, staff member, janitor, etc. a box and let them fill it with any and all cookies they choose. Any leftovers are put in the teachers lounge/staff room for everyone to enjoy.

This is such a great way to say thank you to all the people that touch the lives of the students. And really, who says thank you to the person that cleans the building, or the teacher that your child sees only once a week?

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

~~Kellie