Katie, Loden, Anne, Kristin, Jessica, Stephanie
Mom, Amanda, Jessica, Rachelle, Halle, Jill
On Saturday I hosted my annual cookie and tree trimming party. I had been in New York all week for work, and while I got back in time and took Friday off, it was still a lot to cram into one day to be ready for Saturday. Unlike the last few years, I was not hung over for the party, but I kind of felt like I was. I was really tired! Always something… ha.
Mom & Jess
Friends and family came over and each brought a few dozen cookies. We laid the cookies out on trays and sampled them over the course of a few hours. This year is kind of strange the way Christmas falls and it seems to have snuck up on everyone. That, and the fact that I held the party a little later on in December, made up for a smaller party than usual. I remember last year it was crazytown. This year was more relaxed. I actually tried every cookie and talked to every person. Both parties were fun. Just different.
Dips!
To counterbalance all of the sweets, I also served dill dip with vegetables, pimento cheese, and a blue cheese with walnut spread. I’ll have some recipes for these at a later date. As always, we also had hot apple cider (spiked or not) which my mom and Jess were in charge of. I’m still using Julene’s Chicagoist recipe for the cider!
Halle
Halle
We passed the time talking and eating. Unlike last year, there were not many kids at the party this year. Just Jessica and Halle. Of course, everyone was cooing over Halle. She’s such a beautiful little girl and has such a great temperament. Jess spent most of her time behind the couch trimming the tree! Ha! She is shy and really into the tree, so she didn’t mind. Unlike last year when Jess and Tessa only decorated the tree up to the height they could reach, this year Jess got help and the tree is fully decorated up to the top.
Christmas Tree 2010
These were all the tasty cookies we sampled:
- Rolo Cookies (Loden)
- Christmas Stained Glass Cookies (Mary)
- Holiday Bark (Jessica)
- Chinese New Year Cookies (Anne)
- Chocolate-Espresso Snowcaps (Rachelle)
- Reindeer Poop (Rachelle)
- Classic Spritz Cookies (Katie)
- 5 Layer Cookies (Kristin)
- Jack & Ginger Cookies (Jill)
- Red Velvet Cookies (Amanda)
- Dirty Balls (Amanda)
- Mint Chip Cookies (Stephanie)
- Oreo Pudding Bars (Jen)
Jen Voting
Everything was so delicious! Once everyone had a chance to sample everything I handed out voting cards and everyone made an anonymous vote. Tied for 3rd place were Jen’s Oreo Pudding Bars and Rollo Cookies. In second was Amanda’s Red Velvet Cookies and in first place? Amanda again with her Dirty Balls! (That sounds kind of disgusting!).
Amanda opening her gift for winning
Amanda with her prizes
I’m declaring the party a success again this year! I’ll post the recipes for the cookies later on today or tomorrow!
- 3rd Annual Cookie and Tree Trimming Party
- 2nd Annual Cookie and Tree Trimming Party
- 1st Annual Cookie and Tree Trimming Party
on TV. After a couple hours of sampling all the cookies and candies, we each voted on the one we liked best. 
) with her 
