Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of a cookie exchange. Sometimes reading this forum makes me feel like I’m not an American. Has this been a thing for a while?

I’m with you. By the name, I would have thought I could figure out what a cookie exchange was, but after reading this thread I see I would have been wrong. Who knew they are so serious and competitive? Doesn’t sound very holiday spirited …

What would be more holiday spirited to you? A party where we all exchange premade cookies we can buy ourselves like graham crackers and Oreos and chips ahoy…?

What would be more spirited is a cookie exchange where people compliment or at least don't harsh on other people's offerings. Or one where people gather to enjoy each other's company and have the fun benefit of leaving with an assorted cookie tray. I have no issue with the tradition of it being homemade cookies, that part makes sense. Your and the PP's sarcasm and criticisms are exactly what now turns me off to the idea of a Cookie Exchange (although I feel certain that if I knew anyone hosting one, they would not have that attitude).

Anonymous wrote:I’m unfamiliar with cookie exchanges - OP said they need 50 cookies, does that mean they will end up with 50 other cookies to take home? What do people even do with that many cookies? That’s too many for one household to eat, and I don’t think you can gift homemade cookies made by someone else, right? I’m not thinking about this correctly, I guess.

Ha ha my household can definitely eat that many cookies. We can also keep them in the freezer and eat them over a few weeks.
But for example, my mom hosts a big dinner on Christmas eve and she puts out a tray of cookies for dessert, some of which are from cookie exchanges. So people use them for parties and things like that. I also don't think it's wrong to gift cookies that someone else made, as long as they are still fresh.

Anonymous wrote:I’m unfamiliar with cookie exchanges - OP said they need 50 cookies, does that mean they will end up with 50 other cookies to take home? What do people even do with that many cookies? That’s too many for one household to eat, and I don’t think you can gift homemade cookies made by someone else, right? I’m not thinking about this correctly, I guess.

It's one of the reasons I would not be a part of a cookie exchange. I usually bake hundreds of cookies over the holidays, but beyond tasting them, I don't really enjoy eating cookies, and don't keep them around. Friends and neighbors don't seem to mind that I give them away, however.

My go-to when I have ended up with edible things I didn't want to eat, is to offer them on my neighborhood Buy Nothing. People are so appreciative. My daughter had made cakes to learn to decorate them, and they ended up going to kids as their birthday cakes. These didn't look like they were professionally made (she's only 13), but the kids were so happy to have their own uniquely designed cakes for their special occasion. Made everyone happy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of a cookie exchange. Sometimes reading this forum makes me feel like I’m not an American. Has this been a thing for a while?

I’m with you. By the name, I would have thought I could figure out what a cookie exchange was, but after reading this thread I see I would have been wrong. Who knew they are so serious and competitive? Doesn’t sound very holiday spirited …

It's a bit serious, but not really competitive. The idea is that each person brings their best cookie. Something special that they don't make all the time. Usually, these are recipes that have been handed down for generations, or are difficult/time consuming to make. You could do something fairly simple like a spritz or sugar cookie, but well made and beautifully decorated. Or you could make something really involved like those stupid clothespin cookies that I can never get right. Heck, you could make something like divinity, which is a confection and not a cookie, but it's a picky beast, and people will really appreciate that someone can turn those out.

Anyway, the point is that it is special, for a special occasion, and everyone involved puts a little bit of themselves into what they bring.

Anonymous wrote:I’m unfamiliar with cookie exchanges - OP said they need 50 cookies, does that mean they will end up with 50 other cookies to take home? What do people even do with that many cookies? That’s too many for one household to eat, and I don’t think you can gift homemade cookies made by someone else, right? I’m not thinking about this correctly, I guess.

Yes. If I bring four dozen cookies, then in theory I'm going to take a few dozen home as well.

In our house they become our holiday treats or desserts over the next week or two. Pack something in the kids' lunchboxes, maybe a cookie after dinner. We also put out a plate of cookies at Christmas Eve and Christmas dinners. Admittedly in our house we ease up on dessert and sweets-related practices during the last part of December. Typically some do end up going stale towards the end, but it's fun to both bake and have the cookie exchange party.

I’m unfamiliar with cookie exchanges - OP said they need 50 cookies, does that mean they will end up with 50 other cookies to take home? What do people even do with that many cookies? That’s too many for one household to eat, and I don’t think you can gift homemade cookies made by someone else, right? I’m not thinking about this correctly, I guess.

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in upstate New York where they were a thing and I don’t remember any competition aspect. Someone needs therapy if they need to make everything into a competition.

I wouldn’t use the word “competitive” to describe cookie exchanges; they’re not competitions and the people participating in them aren’t pitted against each other. It’s more of a collaborative effort to build a really pleasing and potentially impressive selection of holiday treats. You don’t want to let the rest of the participants down because you’re all working toward the same goal. It’s like a group project where you don’t want to be the weak link.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of a cookie exchange. Sometimes reading this forum makes me feel like I’m not an American. Has this been a thing for a while?

I’m with you. By the name, I would have thought I could figure out what a cookie exchange was, but after reading this thread I see I would have been wrong. Who knew they are so serious and competitive? Doesn’t sound very holiday spirited …

I've never heard of a competitive exchange. It's fun for people who love holiday cookies but might want to expand what they have in their house and don't have time to bake multiple kinds. I've never participated in one but love when friends bring us cookies that they make and we don't. It adds to the mix. By contrast, I have a specialty cookie that we make every year that friends love but don't make themselves. I always double or triple the batch to share.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Definetly bow out. People who plan and attend these things are obsessive about it. I thought the purpose was being social, but apparently it is who is the biggest martyr.

They're not martyrs, why is this the default insult on DCUM? The people who enjoy it enjoy it because they take pride in their baking. Because of that, it's not an even swap if someone buys (bad) grocery store cookies but gets to go home with my delicious homemade cookies. This is why buying GOOD bakery cookies is okay--it's a decent cookie to go home with. If you don't want to play along, no one is forcing you to attend.

+1

I grew up in upstate New York where they were a thing and I don’t remember any competition aspect. Someone needs therapy if they need to make everything into a competition.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of a cookie exchange. Sometimes reading this forum makes me feel like I’m not an American. Has this been a thing for a while?

I’m with you. By the name, I would have thought I could figure out what a cookie exchange was, but after reading this thread I see I would have been wrong. Who knew they are so serious and competitive? Doesn’t sound very holiday spirited …

What would be more holiday spirited to you? A party where we all exchange premade cookies we can buy ourselves like graham crackers and Oreos and chips ahoy…?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of a cookie exchange. Sometimes reading this forum makes me feel like I’m not an American. Has this been a thing for a while?

I’m with you. By the name, I would have thought I could figure out what a cookie exchange was, but after reading this thread I see I would have been wrong. Who knew they are so serious and competitive? Doesn’t sound very holiday spirited …

What’s fun about exchanging crappy cookies? If you haven’t been invited to one its safe to assume people who know you know you would never enjoy this type of gathering. No need to dump on it just because people like things you don’t.

My husband is going to Hoover them all before I get a chance to participate.

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of a cookie exchange. Sometimes reading this forum makes me feel like I’m not an American. Has this been a thing for a while?

I’m with you. By the name, I would have thought I could figure out what a cookie exchange was, but after reading this thread I see I would have been wrong. Who knew they are so serious and competitive? Doesn’t sound very holiday spirited …

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have never heard of a cookie exchange. Sometimes reading this forum makes me feel like I’m not an American. Has this been a thing for a while?

Yes. They were very common where I grew up in the Midwest. A friend here who is a DC native takes part in one with her family that's apparently been happening for 20yrs.

Conservatively, I will say that 75% of my friends do not bake Christmas cookies. Half are Jewish. The rest don’t bake cookies, let alone Christmas cookies. I guess this is why I have never heard of a cookie exchange!