Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

Part of what makes the holiday season so special is spending time with family and friends. Year after year families gather together to exchange Christmas presents and share holiday memories. Maintaining old traditions plays an important role in the festive season, but creating new traditions is just as important.

This year invite your friends and family to a Christmas cookie exchange, these get togethers are simple and easy to plan. Have each guest prepare a tin of cookies to bring to the party. Cookie tins are inexpensive, usually available at any dollar store, and come in a large array of designs. Place a festive colored napkin in the bottom of your tin, layer the homemade cookies, and fold the napkin gently over the top. Remind you guest to include their name on their cookie tin. Prepare a decorative table to place the cookie tins on, and as your guest arrive arrange their cookie offerings. When your guest are departing for the evening, have each choose a delightfully delicious parting gift. Earlier I mentioned including your name on your cookie tin, this insures that no one gets their own cookies back and also allows friends and family to ask for and share their wonderful cookie recipes.

Creating your Christmas cookie tin for the exchange should not be a chore. Just be creative and have fun with it. There are a huge variety of cookies, tins, and decorative ribbons you can add to make your tin special. Listed below are a few of my favorite Christmas cookie ideas to get you started.

Christmas sugar cookies

Shortbread cookies

Peanut Butter cookies

Chocolate chip cookies

Double chocolate sable cookies

Chocolate peanut butter bonbons