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Christmas Party: Cookie Exchange

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Nikki Aden)

About eight years ago, I was invited to my first cookie exchange. I remember receiving the invitation and adding the event to my calendar. On the appointed week, I baked the 12-15 dozen cookies, packaged them up, and prepared for the party.

As a one-car family, Paul and I showed up to our friends’ house with cookies in hand. The hostess greeted us and welcomed us to her kitchen. As the other participants began arriving, I realized that only ladies were attending. The panic set in.

Questions filled my mind: To whom was the invitation addressed? Did I read the invitation correctly? Oh, no, Paul’s the ONLY guy here.

Admitting that I must have made a mistake, I asked the hostess if her husband would be joining us. When she graciously informed me that her husband was out for the night, I felt horrible. Seeing my expression, she included Paul and made light of my mistake. The evening was filled with Christmas memories, laughter (thankfully, with me and not at me), and lots of cookies.

Paul was a good sport at that first exchange, but every cookie exchange I have attended since, Paul humorously asks if he is invited. Having made that mistake once, I have learned and not repeated. But it makes for a great cookie exchange story and a reminder, to read the invitation.

Basic Cookie Exchange Rules

1. Invite friends to a cookie exchange party asking for an RSVP and type of cookies/treats the invitee will bring.

2. Contact all friends after receiving the RSVP notices with the number of cookies each needs to bring (number varies from 5-12 cookies per participant).

3. Each participant bakes the total number of cookies and brings to the party. If 20 individuals participate at a dozen cookies each, then bring 240 cookies. Nineteen may be given to the other participants while the last dozen can be shared with the group.

4. Exchange cookies at the party. Some exchanges ask the bakers to pre-wrap their cookies while others ask that you bring an empty containers to take home a sampling of the other cookies.

5. Leaving the party with lots of cookies to share, treat, and enjoy.

Though I have never hosted a cookie exchange, I enjoy kicking off my Christmas baking by committing to a cookie exchange. Returning home after a night out with the girls (most of the time) and a wide selection of cookies is time well spent.

As you consider your engagements this season, consider using time wisely to get your baking started by hosting or attending a cookie exchange. Just remember to read your invitation carefully, so your husband is not stuck listening to women all night. 🙂 Happy planning!

Question: What do you like or dislike about cookie exchanges? Rather not leave a comment? Then join the discussion on Using Time Wisely’s Facebook page.

House Guests: Showing Hospitality

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Tony and Laura)

Last weekend our family had the privilege of hosting house guests. Yes, I spent the week of Thanksgiving scrubbing, dusting, organizing, and vacuuming our entire house after my daughter’s bout with hand, foot, and mouth. While our children were counting down the days until our guests’ arrival, the excitement was building.

Our house guests consisted of a family of 4, who are serving as missionaries halfway around the world but are in the States on furlough until the beginning of 2012. As they are making their way to supporting churches, family, and other friends, they chose to stop for a quick visit with us. We were thrilled to accommodate them for the 2 days and 1 night of their visit.

Before you believe I have 2 nice guests’ rooms with a private bath to welcome our guests, let me give a little background. Our home fits our family perfectly. We have 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. With our family of 5, we are snug as a bug in a rug.  By adding another 4 individuals, we got the opportunity to be hospitable. Our family gladly adjusted our normal routine to accommodate our friends for the evening.

On a typical night, our family sleeps in our own rooms:
  • Bedroom 1: Paul and Tracy in master bedroom
  • Bedroom 2: Youngest daughter in nursery
  • Bedroom 3: Two older children in bunk beds
With our guests visiting, we adjusted our routine to the following placement:
  • Bedroom 1: Our missionary friends – husband and wife – in our master bedroom
  • Bedroom 2: Youngest daughter in nursery
  • Bedroom 3: Our missionary friends’ sons slept in the bunk beds. Our son also wanted to sleep in the same room with these boys. By pulling out the extra mattress housed under the lower bunk bed, our son slept there near his friends.

So, where did Paul, my oldest daughter, and I sleep? We camped out in our bonus room. Paul pumped up our air mattress for my daughter and I. Then Paul slept in the recliner. Though we were out of our routines, we all slept well and enjoyed our special time with our friends.

Having a medium-size home without a guest room does not deter our family from showing hospitality. All our possessions have been given to us from our Heavenly Father, and we choose to use our resources for His honor and glory. With thankfulness for a nice home, we welcome guests and enjoy using time wisely visiting with our friends.

As the holiday season quickly arrives, don’t be afraid to adjust your routine as you welcome your friends and family into your home. These visits allow your family to serve your guests with hospitality. What a great way to share the Christmas spirit while using time wisely! Happy planning!

Question: To how many people will you be showing hospitality this Christmas season? Please add your answer to the comments.

Thanksgiving: Soup Celebration

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In serving on a parent committee at my son’s school, I get to work with a fabulous group of ladies. We plan events and programs for our parents, teachers, staff, and students. Our planning sessions together are thorough, so we are all on the same page preparing for the next event.

For the Thanksgiving program performed by our students, our committee handled the details of the luncheon held on the last day of school before the Thanksgiving break. My part of the festivities included making tea and broccoli and cheese soup.

Gallons of Tea

As the queen of tea making, I gladly offer to bring gallons for our events. For this Thanksgiving event, I brought 5 gallons of sweet tea and 1 gallon of unsweetened tea. At the end of the luncheon, there was not a drop of sweet tea left. I know because I went searching. The lemonade was also running low, so we had very thirsty participants. For the next event, I will adjust the amount and bring another 2 gallons of tea to be on the safe side.

Stock pot of Broccoli and Cheese Soup

In preparing for the luncheon, I made 5 batches of soup in rounds. I used two non-stick Dutch oven pots for the first two rounds. As I finished the soup, I poured it into my large stock pot. After making the fourth pot, my stock pot was filled. When I took the soup to school, I brought the filled stock pot and a full Dutch oven.

Though transporting the soup was uneventful, the heating of the soup proved to be difficult. The gas stove heated the pot quickly and burnt the bottom. Once the soup was stirred, the burnt flavor was distributed throughout the soup. Though it still tasted good and most people would not notice it, I tasted the difference.

Along with the broccoli and cheese soup, the committee also provided corn chowder, tortellini, chicken noodle, tomato, vegetable chili, and beef chili. The display was very colorful and flavorful. If we make soup again, I might consider pouring the soup into smaller containers to reheat to prevent burning.

In working with these different events, there always seems to be adjustments that can be tweaked to make our next gathering better. I really enjoy these event planning opportunities. Working with these ladies is fun, beneficial, and rewarding. As you plan your next event, gather with your friends and enjoy the planning process. Happy planning!

Question: What events are you planning? Please add your answer to the comments.

Scheduling: 2011 Thanksgiving Feast

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Emiliano Lobanco)

With the turkey thawing and the grocery shopping complete, my Thanksgiving plans are underway. With today’s activities planned, I can concentrate on timing the baking and cooking for Thursday’s meal.

Our celebration of thankfulness will include our family of five with my husband’s parents. Since my in-laws have graciously offered to provide the corn on the cob, Jello salad, and green salad, my preparations will include the turkey, gravy, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, bread, and beverages. Whew! Though the long list can be overwhelming, I break down the parts into time blocks for easy execution on Thursday morning.

Thursday

 

9:15 a.m. Turkey baking in the oven.
10:00 a.m. Peel the potatoes.

Make the stuffing.

Prepare the sweet potatoes.

Set the table.

Place butter and cranberry sauce into serving dishes.
11:30 a.m. Cook the potatoes.
11:45 a.m. Remove turkey from oven.

Place bread in oven.
12:15 p.m. Remove bread from oven.

Bake the stuffing and sweet potatoes.

Start making the gravy.
12:30 p.m. Mash the potatoes.

Carve the turkey.
12:45 p.m. Remove the stuffing and sweet potatoes from oven.

Prepare the table for our meal.
1:00 p.m. Feast time!

This schedule will keep me focused and organized on Thursday morning while preparing for our Thanksgiving meal. Having a written schedule to refer to allows me to concentrate on other items while following my plan.

Though your plan will look different from mine, just start from meal time and work backwards. By knowing what needs to stay hot, you can adjust your own schedule to fit your preferences. However you celebrate, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving Feast. Happy planning!

Question: How early do you plan to be in the kitchen on Thanksgiving morning? Please feel free to add your comment.

Event Planning: 2011 Thanksgiving Feast

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (1600 Squirrels')

Turkey week is here! In an effort to stay on top of the details, I have sketched out a plan for the next few days. This plan is tentative and open to changes. But having a schedule keeps me focused and ready to do the next thing. My tentative plan begins today.

Tuesday

  • Remove the turkey from the freezer.
  • Start defrosting turkey in our large stock pot. Hubby really likes the turkey brined. Since he has agreed to do the work, he will be putting together the brine mixture. On Thursday, we are going to try bagging our brined turkey. I will give you the results of this experiment on Facebook.
  • Complete grocery shopping.

Wednesday

  • Feed bread starter for sourdough bread on Thursday.
  • Make 3 pies. I will definitely be making 2 pecan pies. The other option has not yet been decided. Usually that pie choice is made by whoever is helping bake the pies in the kitchen.
  • Mix bread ingredients with starter for rising throughout the night.

When spreading out the Thanksgiving meal preparations throughout the week, the tasks can be completed between meals, play, and sleep while using time wisely. Planning the meal does not have to be difficult. By working through the details and assigning tasks for each day, I find the execution ends up being the easy part. 🙂 Happy planning!

Question: Are you experimenting with a recipe this Thanksgiving? Let me know that I’m not the only one.