Host a festive gingerbread cookie exchange party with creative packaging ideas, delicious treats, themed decorations, and fun holiday inspiration. Get tips and easy setups to make your cookie swap memorable and merry.
Every Christmas for ten years, I hosted a cookie exchange party. I would invite all my friends, and we would have a fun night laughing and enjoying delicious treats.
The gingerbread theme is my favorite I have used over the years. I used this same theme in two different years, so I am sharing photos from both to give you even more ideas.
Gingerbread Cookie Exchange Decorations
For these parties, I kept the decorations simple. Mostly I decorated the cookie table where we place all our treats.
These adorable plates and napkins came from Walmart. They are Pioneer Woman.
This particular pattern has been discontinued, but I have linked some other options below.
3. Gingerbread Party Decorations from Amazon
The tablecloth was part of the Pioneer Woman’s line at Walmart. I keep the table simple and only add the name table tents.
Each person will place their homemade goodies by their name so we know whose is whose for voting.
Gingerbread Cookie Exchange Party Food
During the party, we try everyone’s cookie or treat so we can vote for the best-tasting one. Since there is so much sugar, I like to balance it out with some savory food.
- Spinach Dip with Hawiaan Bread
- Red and Green Tortilla Chips
- Fiesta Cream Cheese Dip
- Vegetable Tray with Ranch Dip
- Assortment of Crackers (including a gluten free option)
Gingerbread Cookie Exchange Drinks
At every party I host I have some sort of drink station. I keep everything all together in one spot including drinks, ice (in an ice bucket), cups, and a Sharpie so people can write their names on their cups.
Serve a variety of drinks for your party guests.
- Water
- Seltzer Water (Cranberry Lime)
- Soda (Cranberry Ginger Ale)
- Cranberry Juice
- Orange Juice
- Red Moscato
- Fruit Truly
This is an adults-only party, so I have a combination of sodas and mixers like juice and alcohol, so everyone can make what they want.
I always like to have water for guests. It can be fun to make it fancy with some add ins. For this party, I added cranberries and mint to the water. (And we always have water from the fridge if someone doesn’t want this special water.)
To add a festive touch to the inexpensive plastic cups, I printed out themed cookie exchange stickers.
And I always leave out a Sharpie by the cups so people can write their name on their own cup.
The stickers were printed out on a sheet of sticker paper. I used my circle punch to easily cut out each one.
Cookie Exchange Voting
At every cookie exchange party, we have a vote. I print out themed voting sheets on heavy cardstock so they are easier to write on.
- Best Tasting Treat
- Best Packaging
- Most Creative Treat
We bring extras of the packaged treats to share at the party so we can each try a little bit of each person’s cookie.
Below you can see how I packaged up my treats. I used one of the gingerbread plates for each person.
I used snowflake press and seal to cover each plate. This worked better than regular saran wrap since the edges of the plate are scalloped.
Then, I tied on a ribbon with a wooden snowflake for each one.
Below is one of our dessert tables. The competition gets pretty serious among the three voting categories.
For the other party, I used gingerbread treat bags, added a piece of square white cardstock in each one, and then tied it with twine.
Gingerbread Cookie Exchange Prizes
Each category wins a prize. I keep them at around $10-$15 per prize. I have good luck finding cute things at Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, and Target.
Prize for Best Tasting
The prize for best-tasting included kitchen items the winner could use, as well as self-care items. This prize included a holiday-themed serving tray, spatula, mug, hot cocoa ball, fuzzy socks, nail polish, and a Merry Christmas decoration.
Prize for Best Packaging
The prize for best packing included everything needed to wrap Christmas gifts. This prize included gift boxes, tissue paper, tape, various gift tags, bows, and a roll of wrapping paper (not shown).
Prize for Most Creative Treat
This prize included crafty supplies. I found a cute tin and put everything in it. Inside, I included ribbon, wood ornaments, clear ornaments, bells, and pom poms.
Read More: More Dollar Tree Prize Ideas
Gingerbread Cookie Exchange Favors
As a thank you to each of my guests for coming I like to send home a little favor.
For each person, I included a gingerbread cookie, a gingerbread spatula, and a gingerbread tray.
I used a gingerbread-themed clear treat bag to put everything in. I printed out tags that said “thank you for coming” and tied it one with red and white twine.
For the other year’s party, I made ornaments. I used my Cricut to add white vinyl words (in Skinny Font) to chalkboard tags I found at Dollar Tree. I tied on red and white twine to hang them.
Cricut Design Space File: Chalkboard Ornaments
I added gingerbread cookies, tiny candy canes, and a couple of chocolates to a small clear treat bag. Then, I added cookie exchange stickers to the back of the ornaments and to close the bags.
Everything got packaged up in small gingerbread themed boxes I found at Dollar Tree.
The party has always been so much fun and a great way to visit with friends around the holidays. But now, we are moving on to a more general Christmas party where husbands and kids come!
How Does the Cookie Exchange Work?
- Everyone will bring a specific number of treats per person. Any kind of treat is fine – cookies, candy, brownies, magic bars, etc.
- For example, if there are 10 people attending, and we each make 5 per person, you will make a total of 50 treats. The total will be decided after the RSVP date.
- Pre-package the treats for each guest. The treats for each person can go in one package like a jar, box, plate, or bag. So if there are 10 people going, you will have 9 wrapped packages.
- Leave the last set of treats unwrapped so they can be shared at the party.
- There will be 3 prizes that we will all vote on – best packaging, best tasting treat, and most creative treat.
- Don’t forget! Bring a container, a bag, or a box to take all your treats home in!
Gingerbread Cookie Exchange Free Printables
I am sharing all the printables I used for this party in a separate post. It includes stickers, voting sheets, table tents, and tags.
Get Gingerbread Cookie Exchange Printables
Printer Recommendation
My favorite printer for printing my free printables is the HP Envy Inkjet Printer with HP Instant Ink. I have used these printers for years and always get great results.
Get one free month of HP Instant Ink when you enroll using this link or use code dB3tc.
Amazon: White Cardstock
Walmart: Regular Printer Paper
Having trouble printing? Check out the frequently asked questions.
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