Preparing for the 4th Annual Cookie Exchange was so much fun! The benefits of starting early and giving a Cookie Exchange is that you feel so READY for the holidays! Cookies of course are the theme, but it is so much more! The anticipation, preparation, and generally getting into a spirit of Celebration!

As guests arrived, a name tag was placed on every one, since we were going to have some new ladies this year. We did an Ice Breaker game as they came in, this consisted of names of Christmas characters or people on a name tag. The tag was placed on their backs. Object is to ask Yes or No questions to the other guest and to determine who you are. It was a lot of fun.

For the menu, I really tried to simplify, and reduce the stress of preparation. My daughter Pamela was a great help to me and we had a ball putting everything together. I must also acknowledge my darling Husband, who was deep frying Raviolis while I was getting ready.

The men folk also gathered at the neighbors for their get together with a 6 foot sub sandwich and lots of goodies that Jeff Davis (the host for the guys) made. Funny thing, just like last year, Jeff hosted the men and his wife was out of town. However, this year Donna, his wife flew in from New York WITH HER COOKIES that she made with her sister IN NEW YORK, and came straight from the airport to the exchange. She got the prize for coming "THE FARTHEST"! When Donna tells the story it all sounded quite harrowing!!

A prize for being the first to R.S.V.P. was awarded, and one of the ladies jumped up and said she would be here next year! The Best Cookie Presentation was judged by last years winner (Pamela Christensen) and this years winner was Jody Heaslet for her presentation of Cookies in a Sleigh.

Before we exchanged Cookies we always take time to share the stories behind the cookies, some were hilarious, Marlene Sims made some 4 different cookies batches, She was baking right up to the time the exchange started. After she told her story, I was surprised she made it!!! Diane Young (my sister) has been marinating fruit for a year in the refrigerator and wasn't sure anyone was going to love her cookies, so she brought a back up of Wonderful Store bought cookies! They were good, but so were her original cookies.

Our Mara Daffron made cookies from her sister Lana's recipe file. We lost Lana this year, but not the spirit of joy she brought. Mara also brought Lana's "The Recipe" (remember the Walton's?? and the Baldwin sisters, Miss Emily and Miss Mamie. "The Recipe" is a delightful homemade liqueur which we all recommend!

Time flew by so quickly I had to quick gather the ladies in the kitchen for a Left Right game. THEY LOVED IT!!! All in all it was great fun and a success. We are looking forward to next year!

Buffet Menu

• Grape tomato, basil and olive and Italian Sausage Skewers

• Bagel chips with Spinach Dip

• Deviled Eggs

• Crab Rangoon

• Ham and Pickled Asparagus Roll-Up

• Shrimp on Puff Pastry

• Vegetable Platter with Ranch Dressing

• Deep Fried Ravioli with Marinara

• Italian Meatball with Marinara

Drinks

• Appletinis

• Cosmopolitans

• Coffee

• Water