Virginia Van Vynckt - Very Merry Cookie Party: How to Plan and Host a Christmas Cookie Exchange

Exchanges vary according to how rigorous the rulesactually, theyre more like guidelines are. We have found that people who have been hosting cookie exchanges for years tend to be a bit stricter than those who are new to the tradition.

Some exchanges ban everyday cookies such as chocolate chip or oatmeal, but we see no reason to do this, as long as you make sure everyone doesnt bring chocolate chip cookies. Also, encourage the partygoers to dress up the classics: Add some dried cranberries to the oatmeal cookies, rim the edges of chocolate chip cookies with chocolate, make marbled or layered brownies.

Some exchanges forbid no-bake cookies, on the grounds that theyre too easy to make and/or arent as tasty as their baked counterparts. Again, we see no reason to exclude them, as long as people try to make them as celebratory as possible. Not everyone is a world-champion baker, and even a beginner can dress up the old cereal treats for a party.

We think it works best to have as few rules as possible, especially if this is the first time you are hosting an exchange or your guests vary widely in their baking abilities. Here are three guidelines we strongly recommend:

1. Cookies must be homemade. After all, the opportunity for people to show off their baking skills and share their creations with others is what a cookie exchange is all about. Make exceptions for emergencies. If on the afternoon of the party, Sadies dog knocks five dozen cookies onto the floor and eats half of them, its too much to expect Sadie to make five dozen new cookies. Sadie can visit a good bakery and select some pretty cookies to bring and shareassuming she has any money left after the vet visit.

If youre a group of people who love to eat cookies but not necessarily bake them, you can always allow everyone to use store-bought dough and dress up the cookies with decorations.

2. Each participant must bring the requested number of cookies. Thats only fair. If for some reason, a partygoer cant bring that amount, then that guest will take home fewer cookies. The exception would be if someone brought oversized ornamental cookies, such as gingerbread people, that would earn several smaller cookies, such as spritz wreaths. Decide in advance how the cookie currency will add up.

How many cookies should each person tote home? That depends on the size of the guest list. If there are only four or five of you, its reasonable to ask that everyone bring five to six dozen cookies. If the gathering numbers twenty, its not realistic to expect someone to bring two hundred plus cookies. In that case, each person might get three of each cookie.

3. Ever go to a party and see someone wearing the same dress youre wearingexcept that she looks ten times better in it? You can get the same sinking feeling if you bring shortbread made from your grandmothers beloved recipe, only to discover that everyone is raving about someone elses shortbread. That is one reason cookie exchange invitees must let the hostess know in advance what kind of cookies they plan to bring. Another reason is variety. Russian tea cakes or chocolate chip cookies are delightful, but not if eight people show up with them.