10 Easy Steps to Hosting a Cookie Swap Party
Hard to believe, but eating mouthfuls of homemade sweets is only part of the fun of a cookie-swap party. Since so many of us get recipes from our families, it is also a way of sharing traditions with our friends. Another bonus: Such parties should be kept small, so they offer you an opportunity to really catch up with your friends. Here are 10 steps to putting together a fun afternoon get-together for the holidays or any other time of year.
1. Keep the number of invitation to 15 people maximum. This is the kind of party that demands more of your time than, say, a blowout.
2. Follow up on invitations a few days before the party so you know how many people will attend. Online invitations, like those from cocodot.com, are a great way to keep track of RSVPs, as well as to communicate with guests in one fell swoop. Once you know the head count, you can accordingly assign the number of cookies to be brought by each guest. I asked each of the 12 guests at my party to bring 2 dozen cookies. I told them that it was fine to bring the cookies in simple bags or containers. And I asked them to email me (or print out and bring) the recipe of their particular cookie contribution.
3. Before the party, make copies of the cookie recipes. Create or buy boxes (in metal, wood, or thick paper), and put a set of recipes in each (I found Christmas-decorated boxes at Target for $1 each.).
4. Dress a large table to showcase the cookies. I used a pale, plaid tablecloth, and placed empty baskets, plates, and wood containers in a neutral palette on it. This way the cookies would be the stars of the party. As guests arrived, I added their cookies to the table.
5. Create an area with entertainment or activities for kids so that parents can enjoy the party on their own. I splurge for a bouncy house, but another option is to have a sitter oversee children.
6. For both children and adults, make sure to have savory snacks to balance out the sugar quotient. I ordered empanadas from a bakery because I was too busy to cook everything myself.
7. Keep drink options to a minimum. Coffee, tea, water, and juice suffice. If you want alcohol, red and white wine are fine. No one is expecting a full bar!
8. Make cards for cookies that are gluten-free or vegan, so guests with those food preferences can easily find them. The rest of the cookies don't need to be identified on the table.
9. Once all the guests have arrived at the party, begin tasting! This is the time when you'll be glad that you kept the crowd small; it keeps the focus on the cookies.
10. In addition to the recipe boxes, allow guests to select a dozen or so of their favorite cookies. Most bakeries will sell you pastry boxes, so I bought small ones to give to guests for this take-home.
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