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Daily Living with an Eye on Financial Freedom

Daily Living with an Eye on Financial Freedom

Cookie Swaps Makes for Great Frugal Holiday Parties

The season of holiday entertaining is upon us and boy can it be expensive. Between gifts, food, beverages, decorations, etc.. it can all add up to broke city.  Looking for a way to tame the extravagance and preserve the bank account?

Cookie Swap: Easy, Inexpensive Holiday Party

Why not try a simple cookie swap or exchange gathering for your holiday celebrations. All each attendee needs to do is make a batch or two of one cookie recipe and bundle the cookies up in groups of 3 or so (Saran Wrap with ribbons around or the holiday Ziploc bags make for great gift wrapping). Then each person brings his or her bundles to the party with some recipe cards attached.

The entertainment is built in as everybody enjoys sampling others’ cookies and checking out the recipes. The gifts keep on giving after the party as attendees can take home their remaining cookies to loved ones and save the new recipes to try out later. Hot chocolate goes great with these types of parties and I have just the recipe to satisfy. I have made it a number of times over the years. It is an alteration of a recipe submitted to Southern Living some time back by Karyn D. in Louisiana.

White Chocolate Hot Chocolate

2 cups milk

1 cup half-and-half

2/3 cups white chocolate morsels

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine first four ingredients in pan over low heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla extract.  Top with whip cream to taste.  (Serves approx. 4).

Speaking of Southern Living, check out their recipes and others below for lots of cookie ideas.

Best Loved Cookie & Bar Recipes (Southern Living) 

All Varieties of Cookie Recipes (Taste of Home)

All-Time Favorite Cookie Recipes (Better Homes and Gardens)

 

Comments

  1. Leslie says

    I love cookie swaps! I usually do them around the office but have enver participated in one on a blog. I do love cookies though.

  2. Karen Goodman says

    I love this idea. Actually, a non-profit summer camp I volunteer with is getting ready to put together care packages for the 12 leadership graduates currently in college or the military. I was thinking about doing a cookie party of some sort and you gave me an idea. I could ask everyone to bring 2 dozen cookies, 1 dozen for the camp and one to share. Then everyone gets to taste a cookie from each plate and then gather some up to take home.

    Now you’ve got the wheels churning and I may just have to plan it!

  7. Miz Helen says

    Thank you so much for taking the time during this busy season to share your wonderful post with Full Plate Thursday. Have a wonderful weekend and hope to see you again real soon!
    Miz Helen

  10. BRITTNEI says

    You are so right about hot chocolate! It’s funny I recently tried an iced hot chocolate. I’m in Arizona and the weather is still a bit warm. Thanks for sharing this with us at Countdown in Style. Don’t forget to come back Friday to see if you are featured. 🙂

  11. Sarah says

    I’ve seen a lot of cookie swap posts floating around- y’all are inspiring me to host my own! Thanks for joining us at the Foodies and Crafties Soiree!

  13. April @ 100lbCountdown.com says

    Yum yum! I went to Mrs. Fields yesterday for cookies and they were SO expensive. I really need to learn how to bake.

    Thanks for sharing and linking up with Countdown in Style! Don’t forget to come back on Friday to see if you were featured!

    ~~April~~
    100lbCountdown.com

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