Cookie Exchange 2012

Oh how I love December.  The halls they have been decked,



...the ladies have come out of storage,



...the village is up,



and the stocking are out,



It's a scramble from Thanksgiving to my annual Christmas Cookie Exchange, but I love it.

This year my tree is drenched in amber and greens and browns and of course a little leopard.



I start early, the day after Thanksgiving, so I can be completely decorated and ready for my annual Christmas Cookie Exchange held the first Sunday in December. 

I have been hosting this cookie exchange for a few years now and it's quickly becoming one of my favorite traditions.  My friends each bring four dozen "Christmas" cookies to swap and after two hours of brunch and visiting they each return home with four dozen assorted cookies.

This year I made baked french toast from the Pioneer Woman for brunch, it's great because you make it the night before and bake it an hour before you are ready to eat.  I also served champagne, mimosas, coffee, scrambled eggs, apple smoked bacon and fruit.   The baked french toast was a big hit and two of my friends enjoyed it so much they requested the recipe and are making it for Christmas morning.



As my friends started arriving and with the hustle of hosting I set my camera down but I did manage a few cookie photos before we started the swap.

As always we had a lot of delicious cookies: Andes Mint, Lemon Cranberry, Chocolate Peanut Oatmeal, Cherry Almond, Shortbread with jam and coconut,  homemade Thin Mints, Roasted Chestnut Russian Tea Cakes, Shortbread dipped in chocolate and nuts, and Orange Pecan Biscotti with Cardamom Sugar. 





We laughed and caught up over the past year.  We listened to one friend who is planning her daughters wedding next June and chatted with another friend who is planning her daughters first birthday.   It's a wonderful mix of ladies each very different but all coming together to take a little time out of their busy lives to sip champagne and enjoy the small things.

This was my plate.



After the swap and while everyone was enjoying the last sips of coffee, I offered my friends either a set of measuring cups or spoons to take with them.



We had such a nice day and while the cookies are great I love the getting together part so much.






Wishing you all, a month long celebration of December, of toasting to family and friends and bringing more joy into each day. xoxo