| If you and your family love having (or giving) a | | | | people sign up for the exchange, everyone will need |
| variety of home-baked cookies for the holidays, but | | | | to bring at least eight dozen cookies (extras for |
| you just don't have the time or energy this year, | | | | sample tasting are encouraged!). |
| here's the solution: a holiday cookie exchange! | | | | Emphasize that family favorites or traditional cookie |
| You can bake just one large batch of your favorite | | | | recipes are preferred, so there will be less chance of |
| holiday cookies, take them to the cookie exchange, | | | | two or more people bringing the same type of |
| and come home with several different kinds of | | | | cookies. |
| freshly baked cookies! You'll be the family hero, with | | | | Also ask them to bring copies of their cookie recipe |
| minimum effort! | | | | for sharing. This is not only a great way for |
| Cookie exchanges can be done with friends and | | | | everyone to obtain new cookie recipes, it's a safety |
| neighbors at home parties, or with co-workers at the | | | | mechanism for people with food allergies. They can |
| office. Since the focus of this article is saving time | | | | review the recipe before trying the cookies. |
| and energy, we'll discuss the office version. Hey, you | | | | 4. Ask everyone you invite to RSVP at least a week |
| won't have to spend time cleaning up the house | | | | prior to the exchange and specify the type of cookie |
| before and after the exchange! | | | | they'll bring. |
| Here's how to have a cookie exchange at work: | | | | 5. Share the RSVP information with all participants, so |
| 1. Pick a date. Plan ahead so you can give people | | | | everyone will know how many cookies to bake and |
| plenty of advance notice... at least two weeks. | | | | bring (and how many copies of their cookie recipe). |
| 2. Reserve a conference room or other area for the | | | | Ask everyone to bring their cookies already counted |
| exchange. Book it for an hour. You're probably safest | | | | out, one dozen cookies per participant, packaged in |
| to plan it for the lunch hour, when your fellow | | | | sealable plastic bags (or other containers they don't |
| employees will be free to have some | | | | mind giving away). If eight participants, they'll bring |
| non-work-related fun. | | | | eight bags containing one dozen cookies each. |
| 3. Invite people to participate. Be careful how you do | | | | 6. At the exchange (in a decorated room if you're |
| this at work. Some companies frown on sending | | | | ambitious), it'll be nice to provide coffee or water, |
| personal emails or using the copier for unofficial fliers. | | | | and encourage people to sample the cookies. That |
| Do what's acceptable where you work. You'll want a | | | | way you can all rave about each others' culinary skills |
| minimum of six people to make the exchange | | | | and have fun swapping stories about baking |
| worthwhile, but less than ten so the amount of | | | | adventures, cookie recipe development, or the |
| baking everyone will have to do is manageable. | | | | biggest nuts in the company. Relax for a while, have |
| Explain in your invitation that everyone will need to | | | | a good time, and take home some new and delicious |
| bake a dozen cookies per participant. So if eight | | | | goodies for the family! |