The holidays are a hectic time of year. Perhaps the most hectic, in fact. Summer always passes too quickly, but the long, sun-filled days give off the impression that you have more time, not less.
In winter, everything is too short. It’s dark when you wake and when you return from work. Every day feels over as soon as it’s begun, but there are always myriad more things to do! Presents to buy, parties to plan or attend, and travels to prepare for.
Don’t you just want to take a break?
A Grown-up Kid’s Party
Amongst the obligatory professional and purely social holiday parties, carve out some time to really hang out with your good friends this holiday season. Not all of them, and not the balanced-for-maximally-interesting-conversation group you would invite to a holiday party. Just your four or five closest friends.
I’m going to break my usually dinner party riff for once and actually recommend that you do a weekend brunch or lunch. Sunday at ten (or two . . . It depends what your friends are like 
) are ideal for relaxing and catching up. Call or email your crew and pick out a mutually beneficial time on a weekend before people start heading home for the holidays.
Make a date for a cookie swap.
Say what?
Yes. That most housewifely and church group-esque of traditions, the cookie swap.
It’s quaint. It’s extremely homey. But who doesn’t love cookies?
The best part is that if it is your cookie swap, you set the rules. Not a baker? Have people bring their in treats from their favorite bakeries. Prefer to bake with friends? Pick up a bunch of flour and sugar, have your friends bring recipes and special ingredients and bake them together. Not the cookie type? Have people bring cupcakes!
This holiday season, I have received invitations to countless cookie swaps. Annual meetings have been co-opted into cookie swaps. Book and can drives have added a cookie swap component. Clearly, people all over are catching on that the holidays are just more fun when you give each other cookies.
Sharing is Caring
Sadly trite, but totally true. And sharing is even better when it is (a) food and (b) homemade – or made with love, as most mothers would say.
Really though, the best part of a cookie – or cupcake, brownie, or truffle – swap is the new flavors. You can make one batch of your signature lemon-lavender shortbread cookies and get to enjoy not only those but also Italian snowflakes, gingerbread men, and frosted sugar cookie stars.
So go on, pick a treat and some friends and let the holiday sugar rush begin!
Enter the Advent Calendar Giveaway
What’s your favorite holiday cookie? Tell us in the comments below to enter to win a copy of the Mrs. Fields Cookie Cookbook.
