For the past 15 years, Ellen Thomison has hosted a cookie exchange. It grows in popularity since this type of party – where guests bring their favorite cookies to share with others – is a trend that is experiencing a renaissance.
Before she started her own, Thomison attended another.
Anne Braly“It was a lot of fun, and I wanted to do one for my friends,” she says. “It’s just a fun twist on a party, and people enjoy getting their Christmas cookie recipes out to make, and some just enjoy eating yummy cookies.”
Cookie swaps haven’t changed much in the century since women started hosting them. Most require guests to bake three to six dozen of their favorite cookies, then exchange them so everyone leaves with a large assortment of home-baked goods.
Thomison’s cookie swap has no rules. She hosts hers in the weeks before Christmas, which she realizes is a busy time for all.