Hi Robin,

Thank you for creating such an informative and detailed website so we can all have fabulous cookie swaps! Here is a little info about my first cookie swap.

I had a perfect turnout for my 1st cookie swap. I had 10 people participate and everyone did a fantastic job on their cookies considering it was everyone’s very first cookie swap. We played the scent game where I placed oil soaked cotton balls into mason jars and labeled the jars with numbers and everyone had to guess what scent was in the jar like peanut butter, pineapple, orange etc.

I didn’t have as good of a response with that game as I’d hoped. Some people were apprehensive about smelling something unknown, tee hee. Next we played “Guess the place”. I took 10 different pictures of familiar landmarks around town and everyone gave it their best guesses.

Then we all voted on Best Tasting Cookie, Best Cookie Presentation, Best Decorated Cookie, and Best Holiday Dressed. I created one sheet of paper for everyone that held all the contest questions.

For prizes I made certificates in frames for the four awards and then I made layered gift jars and decorated them with ribbon, an ornament and the recipe. I used Robin’s PDF Funny Money files and asked everyone “If they could “spend” a day with anyone of these men, who would it be?” I printed and cut out all the money and placed it inside of an envelope with a candy cane for each person.

For appetizers I made sweet n sour meatballs, buffalo chicken dip, spinach & bacon dip, pineapple cheese ball, layered red & green Christmas cake, candy cane cocktails, and sangrias. Everyone had a fabulous time and they’re already planning their cookies for next year!

Happy Holidays
Nicole Webb, Lewiston, Maine