As the Christmas season is upon us, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to share one of my favorite Christmas traditions: hosting a Family-Friendly Christmas Cookie Exchange. Bring a dozen, take a dozen – it’s a delightful way to indulge in the spirit of giving and savor the joy of the season together.
Earlier this month, Taylor and I gathered our closest friends to join in our 4th annual cookie exchange! Since we bought our home in 2019, this has been an event we look forward to every year. As I was sick and newly pregnant with Graham in December of 2022, we did, unfortunately skip last year. But the Wilson’s are back on track with our sweet tradition!
In this post, I’ll share some hosting essentials for our Christmas cookie exchange, including my Low Sugar Christmas Punch recipe and my Amazon purchased items, so you can recreate this sweet tradition for your family too.
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SHOP | GOLD TABLE ARCH FOR GARLAND DISPLAY | VINYL TARTAN TABLE CLOTH
The Cookie Exchange Invitation:
First things first, set the tone with charming invitations! I opted for a cookie-themed design to get everyone in the festive mood. Make sure to include the basics: date, time, location, and a gentle reminder to bring a dozen of your favorite homemade cookies. I used Canva to create these, and we texted them out to loved ones.
Mom Tip: When hosting a family-friendly event with toddler aged little ones – keep in mind nap times and bedtime! While every kiddo is different, many toddlers nap for 1-2 hours sometime between 11am-3pm. Consider hosting a morning brunch event, or a late afternoon affair like we did. This way, you’re sure to have moms and kiddos that are happy and well-rested (hopefully!), and families can get home to share dinner together well before bedtime.
Setting the Stage for a Family-Friendly Cookie Exchange:
1. Cookie Decorating Station for Kiddos: Transform a corner of your space into a winter wonderland for the little ones. Lay out plain sugar cookies, an array of colorful icing, and an assortment of sprinkles. Kids will love creating edible masterpieces, and it keeps them entertained while the adults mingle. Be mindful of small candies like peppermints or m&ms as they can be choking hazards for little ones not closely supervised. For our cookie decorating surface, We used the top of our old dining table, propped up to toddler height with cinderblocks, and utilized a vinyl tablecloth that can easily be wiped down. Don’t forget to have a pack of wipes out for sticky hands!
SHOP | OUR KIDS TABLE | GOLD TABLE ARCH TO HANG GARLAND | ACACIA SERVING TRAY
2. Cocktail Bar for Adults: Let’s face it – cookie baking and decorating can be serious business, and the adults deserve a treat too! Set up a stylish cocktail bar with a selection of festive drinks. Consider creating a nonalcoholic base (like my Low Sugar Christmas Punch), that works for both kids and adults. Check out my Cocktail Menu showing how I used our nonalcoholic punch as a base for two cocktails. And for an extra touch, provide garnish options like fresh rosemary, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and pomegranate seeds. Going along with the ‘milk and cookies’ type theme, we displayed vintage glass milk bottles with striped straws for guests to drink from. Cheers to good company and even better cookies!
SHOP | OUR GLASS MILK BOTTLES | STRIPED STRAWS | BEVERAGE DISPENSERS
3. Letters to Santa Table: Encourage the little ones to share their Christmas wishes by creating a Letters to Santa station. Provide card stock, markers and maybe a few holiday stickers. This not only adds a touch of holiday cheer, but also serves as a lovely keepsake for years to come. Our kids picnic table was a perfectly small space to designate for Letters to Santa. This adorable mailbox was a gift to Stella from our neighbor last year, but I’ve linked a similar one for you below.
SHOP | OUR KIDS TABLE | SIMILAR LETTERS TO SANTA MAILBOX
The Main Event:
Bring a Dozen, Take a Dozen: Upon arrival, have each guest display their dozen cookies on a designated table. Something safe and organized I didn’t do, but will consider for next year, is providing labels with the cookie name and any relevant allergen information. This way, everyone can easily navigate the delicious spread.
SHOP | OUR BAKERY BOXES
An Edible Centerpiece: This was the first year I purchased a craft foam cone to create a charcuterie tree! A stunning way to display your favorite meats, cheeses, veggies, etc. This was less time consuming than I thought it would be; but a tedious assembly, as its the same motion of adhering toothpicks to food and then, to foam, over and over and over again. Add a star-shaped block of cheese and sprigs of rosemary atop your charcuterie tree to make it a showstopper centerpiece! It was nice to have something savory, and protein-packed, while we indulged in cookies and cocktails. Not to mention, creating a vertical plating of appetizers allowed for more space on our kitchen island for cocktail prep.
SHOP | CRAFT FOAM CONE FOR CHARCUTERIE TREE
The Finishing Touch on our Cookie Exchange:
Bakery Boxes for Cookie Takeaways: To ensure everyone leaves with a variety of scrumptious treats, provide bakery boxes or festive containers for guests to pack their selections. It’s a thoughtful touch that turns this cookie exchange into a delightful gift-giving experience.
SHOP | BEVERAGE DISPENSERS | STRIPED STRAWS | GOLD RIMMED CUPS | GREEN VELVET PILLOW COVERS | PEPPERMINT COCKTAIL NAPKINS | KIDS PICNIC TABLE | LETTERS TO SANTA MAILBOX (SIMILAR) | ACACIA WOOD SERVING TRAY | COOKIE ICING SET | BAKERY BOXES | TARTAN PILLOW COVERS
The Sweet Memories of our Christmas Cookie Exchange:
In the warm glow of twinkling lights, and the sweet scent of freshly baked cookies, hosting a Family-Friendly Christmas Cookie Exchange becomes a cherished tradition that embodies the spirit of the season. As we share laughter, stories, and delectable treats, our home transforms into havens of joy and togetherness. So, let the cookie crumbs fall where they may, and may your gatherings be sprinkled with love and the sweetest memories. Happy baking, happy exchanging, and most importantly, happy holidays to you and your family.
VISIT NATALIE COTTON WILSON ON INSTAGRAM TO VIEW THE REEL WITH CLIPS FROM THIS COOKIE EXCHANGE
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