I want to have a cookie exchange......?!
Answers: but i don't know where to start.....what kind of invitations do i send out? and what do i put on the invitation. i've always wanted to do one but i don't know what to do!!!!
Make up a guest list and send out invitations a few weeks in advance with an rsvp that includes the type of cookies that your individual guests will bring. Send out a notice to the people that will attend to let them know how many are coming with a request that they bring one dozen cookies of the type that they are bringing for each attending guest as well as suggesting that they bring a recipe card of their cookie for each attending guest. Set up a table for the cookies with trays that will accommodate each kind with labels of the type of cookie that it is and plenty of baggies for each guest to gather their stash of cookies into. Don't forget to display the recipe cards near by. Your guests can get a dozen of each kind brought and the recipe cards for their favorites. Serve hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows or punch and whatever else that you think that they would enjoy.
Are you talking about for work? If so, just get the okay from your manager to send out a little memo about your plans. Set a time and date for everyone to meet and don't forget to remind everyone to bring an extra container to put their cookies in. I had a new manager one time who suggested doing this and only five people out of about 25 participated, so you might want to have people sign up for it so you can plan on how many cookies to bake.
Send out invites that says you want to do a cookie exchange! Suggest the time and place and that they should bring their own baggies or Tupperware to place the other cookies in. Make sure to tell them that it is best when they share a dozen cookies with every person! So if you are inviting 10 people then each person needs to bring 10 - dozen cookies! It is also a good idea for everyone to bring extra cookies since everyone will want to sample all of the cookies they are going to be getting. It's great to have a long table out and have everyone have all of the cookies set out on that with labels next to them...then everyone just goes down the line and gets their cookies! This is what I do and it is a great success! Good luck and have fun!
I had a cookie exchange one year and it was so much fun! Everyone loved it. I made my own invitations on the computer that were really just flyers with Christmas clipart on it and green and red print. I just stated on the invites that I was having a Christmas cookie exchange, date, time and location, and for everyone to bring 5 dozen of their favorite cookie recipe, along with 5 copies of the recipe itself, to give to each attendant. I supplied cookie trays that I found at the Dollar store and we also did some little game-like activities. We had some children there as well and I provided plain sugar cookies for them to decorate, as well as some crafts to keep them busy. The way I did the party too was it was around lunch time so each person brought a dish to share and we made it a potluck. I provided a dish too as well as the drinks, hot cocoa, etc... It really was a blast! I think that Familyfun.com has some ideas on it for a cookie exchange as well as foodnetwork.com
On your invitation tell everybody to bring cookie along with recipe and a take home container.
INVITATIONS
You could do something cute like make (or hire someone to make) cookie shaped invitations indicating it's a cookie exchange, time, date and tell them to bring 30 or so cookies and the recipe if they don't mind sharing. Also, remind them to bring a platter or tupperware to put there cookies in.
THE DAY OF
You will want to get everyone situated in an orderly line to get the cookies - I would suggest that people take one or two of each cookie to start with and whatever is left can be taken by whomever after everyone has gone through the line.