For several years now, one of my holiday traditions is hosting a ladies’ cookie exchange with some good friends.  On the surface, it’s pretty much your average cookie exchange; we all bring cookies and get to leave with a collection of different holiday treats.  What makes this party incredible, though, are the fantastic ladies who attend.  We all get to have some quality time drinking wine and chatting, and eating, of course, our own confections.  It feels like a nice moment in the holiday season to do something for yourself, in a way, attending a party that is about building your own social circle and indulging your own community.

But at this party, we don’t forget the outside world or our gratitude for what we have.  Each participant brings cookies to share with each other but also with a women’s shelter.  We all work together around the table of treats, packing individual bags of cookies to be delivered to a special charity.  Two years ago, it was a shelter for battered women and children; last year it was a homeless women’s shelter and resource center (which, sadly, has had to close its doors this month after 25 years of service to local women and children).  This year, the cookies will go to our local food pantry, which serves over 400 families a week.  Staying connected to the charity of the season is our special twist at this party.

This year, the party fell a little later in the season, so our numbers were a little low.  But we were all in good cheer, packed a whole bunch of bags for the food pantry, and tasted some delicious cookies.

Don’t they look fab?  We packed some of them up into little individual bags for the families at the food pantry.

packed treats, ready for delivery

It was, as always, a lovely party (and not just because we had rosé champagne this year).  Thanks to all my peeps for coming out and sharing!

Share!

•