Christmas Cookie Exchange 2010

Rosey knows the girls are coming over and waits patiently….

Hi Everyone!

I held my annual Christmas Cookie Exchange this past weekend, and as every year, it was a lot of fun! I’ve been having Cookie Exchange parties for so many years I can’t even remember when it started. I know I was working with Pacific Coastal Airlines when I held my first one, so it may have been around 1996! I would have the ‘Airline Girls’ (also stampers!) over and we each had to bring a traditional Christmas treat from another country – it could be a cookie or an appey – and share some of that country’s Christmas traditions with everyone. It was AWESOME! I remember Len, one of the Air Canada ladies, did Russia one year – her cookies were phenomenal and somehow she even found a Russian Christmas card to give to me! Her hubby, Scott, is a pilot, so perhaps he found a way to get it! LOL. I scrapbooked that particular party which always warms my heart to look at. I really MUST start scrapbooking again.

This year’s Christmas Cookie Exchange was a LOT smaller than the last couple of years – there were 6 of us of this year and the past couple of years had as many as 18! I must admit, my house was getting too small for everyone – so this year was great because we all settled into my cozy living room nicely.

The past few years the theme of my Cookie Exchange has been ‘packaging’. As we’re all stampers, it’s only natural that we make our cookie packages, right? LOL It’s so neat to see everyone’s creations – we’re always blown away! Then we all vote on our favorite package and the winner gets a prize from me.

We had munchies and Christmas music – even the fireplace was on (courtesy of the television, HA!). I thought it would be fun to play a game – and I wasn’t disappointed – LOTS of laughs! We each had to write down two truths about ourselves and one lie. Then we’d go around, one by one, and read them and we’d have to guess which was the lie. The person with the most correct ‘lies’ won – but we had so many laughs and got onto so many side-line stories that none of us kept track! Let me tell, ya, I learned a few things about these ladies. A good time was had by all.

On to the photos:

All of the cookies are lined up on my stove…

Look at all those pretty packages! And the cookies are DELICIOUS too!

For a little gift, I made each gal a recipe book, with all of our cookie recipes.

Allison and Maddie’s cookies

They even attached an ornament! Can’t wait for them to show me to how to make this!

Cathy’s pretty package, with SU’s fabric. Cathy also added an ornament – complete with PEARLS! She must really love us! LOL

Chrissy and Shelley’s Ginger Cookies – YUM!

From left to right: Rosie, Stephanie, Shelley, Chrissy, Moi, Cathy and Allison.

This is the box I made for the prize.

This year the prize was a Stampin’ Up! STAR Punch along with a package of Star Brads. Allison Donald WON! Woo Hoo! Allison and her daughter, Madisyn, made the packages with the coordinating ornaments and they were just AWESOME!

Thanks for coming out, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed yourselves! It was a great time!

HAPPY STAMPING!