I’ve been familiar with the “old fashioned” cookie swap. If you have 12 people coming, you make 12 dozen cookies of one kind, plate them up in one dozen plates and then meet, exchange and go home with 12 plates of 12 different kinds of cookies.
I have heard of some people doing a meal swap thing - be it casseroles or whatever.
Today I saw a FB friend was doing a soup swap! Everyone makes a different soup, they bought bulk quart soup containers to package it in and then mark on top the soup flavor. Everyone swaps soup that can be frozen and pulled out of the freezer - I like that idea!!
I participated in a soup swap at a friend’s house last year, but after I made my huge pot of home garden tomato, beefy macaroni soup, I had another vertigo episode and was unable to come in person. She came over to the house to put mine into containers, and back to her house, where the rest of the gang joined with their own favorite soups.
As I spent a couple days recovering, it was great to enjoy the homemade breads that our friends had made. For me, a bowl of soup, a small salad, and a slice of bread is the ultimate lunch. I enjoy making soup but I do get tired of the leftovers after a few days. Having different varieties helps. We were thinking we will do another one in late January, to help with the winter blues.
I like the soup swap idea! I think I am going to propose this to a group of my friends.
I haven’t done the cookie swap for several years. The last time I did it people in the group had all kinds of weird cookies that many said were from grandma’s recipe and they were terrible. My family complained that I took my amazing cookies to the exchange and came home with crap.
I have heard of Christmas ornament swaps, but each person just takes one then draws one so no one has to buy 10 or 20 ornaments. Each one is numbered as the person enters the door, then numbers are drawn and that is the ornament the person gets.
o.k. floated the soup exchange to a few pals. Can’t see it happening. One has gluten issues, another dairy, two no red meat and another allergic to seafood. Sigh. Guess I’ll just make my own soup…
“The last time I did it people in the group had all kinds of weird cookies that many said were from grandma’s recipe and they were terrible. My family complained that I took my amazing cookies to the exchange and came home with crap.”
That’s my dislike of these types of events. I’m a good cook and baker and find many people’s level of cooking/baking ability doesn’t meet my own standards. Like the people who say they make the best brownies and as soon as you taste them you know they came from a mix. And as much as I love chocolate chip cookies, no, they don’t qualify as a holiday or Christmas cookie.
Eons ago, the ladies at my workplace would have a Christmas sock exchange party. While not an exchange like a cookie or soup exchanges mentioned here, it was akin to a white elephant game and a ton of fun.
I don’t like food swaps. Ornaments would be fine but we have so many! I went to a “Favorite Things” party last year. $10 limit- everyone brought 10 of their favorite thing. Items ranged from lip balm to kitchen tools to socks, etc.
Honestly, at the risk of sounding like a party pooper and in the spirit of the “Bag A Week” thread and the improving the environment thread, I don’t really want more stuff. I kind of feel that in my 50s, I have the stuff I want. I’m much less of a consumer these days.
How about gathering a group of like minded friends and doing something for others? It could be “adopting” a family in need and collectively buying stuff for them, volunteering for an afternoon at the food pantry and bringing items, baking cookies and then caroling at senior homes or leading some holiday activity with them. None of these fit the swap definition but are a reason to gather with friends and share in some holiday spirit.
I’ll add that my group of friends does a TON of good works for others- that’s actually what brought us together in the first place! There is no lack of doing for others here:)
The favorite things was just a fun way to get together and celebrate our friendship.
