If you have 10 people then you make 10 dozen cookies.You keep a dozen and take the other 9 to exchange.It's also fun to make an extra dozen for sampling with coffee/tea at the exchange.It all depends on the people exchanging what else you might want to do.I always attach copies of the recipe to my exchange packages.

Sorry it took me so long busy week. Okay, my first picture on the forum, hope it works! CRANBERRY-ORANGE DELIGHTS This is the original recipe but I did make several modifications which are noted below the recipe. 1 cup butter, softened 1 cup white sugar ½ cup packed brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon grated orange zest 2 Tbs orange juice 2 ½ cups all pupose flour ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt 2 cups dried cranberries ½ cup chopped walnuts For glaze: ½ tsp grated orange zest 3 Tbs orange juice 1½ cups confectioners sugar DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter, white and brown sugars until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 Tbs. orange juice. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and walnuts, if using, until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 1214 minutes in preheated oven until edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. For glaze: In small bowl whisk together ½ teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons orange juice and confectioners sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set. My modifications: Mixing method: I used the melted butter method for these instead of creaming the butter and sugars together. I simply beat or stir the cooled melted butter into the sugars. Cookie dough additions: I added 3-4 tablespoons of chopped glaceed oranges to the batter. Id just gotten some as a gift for Christmas (thats why I made orange cookies) and I thought they would add a nice orangey touch, as they have a rich orange flavor. Used pecans, not walnuts, and toasted them. Glaze additions: I made the glaze with creamed cheese (beat in about 2-3 tablespoons with the orange juice, zest and flavorings) to give it more thickness, creaminess and body, added about a teaspoon of orange flavoring to it, a tiny pinch of salt and just a touch of lemon juice (the lemon is not necessary, I just wanted a bit more tartness and to bring out the flavor). Baking: I found 375 too fast an oven and over-browned my first batch. 350 degrees worked much better for me. If I had to make these again, I would use a little bit less sugar and/or either fresh chopped cranberries or unsweetened dried ones, since I missed the tartness of the cranberry flavor and found the cookies a bit sweet.

Just a couple of ideas off the top of my head: Maybe you could add a list of 'cookie catagories' to your invitation. Ask each person to RSVP with the catagory they want to make. Then the first RSVP you get that says 'Shortbread' is the one that brings shortbread. Any that come after that could be asked to choose something else. Or they could pick their first, second, and third choice of category. You could let them know, after all RSVPs are in, which one to make. Using the 'first come first served' way of assinging the categories. Or you could simply request each person to let you know a couple of weeks in advance, the kind of cookie they intend to bring. Of course, the 'rules' would have to be clearly (and diplomaticly) stated on the invitation so that everyone understands that you are trying to insure a lot of choices for the participants. It takes a wide variety of cookies to make a good and fun exchange. Rusty

Thanks very much for your help everyone! I checked out the dessert exchange thread and also Robin's cookie exchange. A bunch of good ideas, now I just have to choose which recipe to make and how many rules I want to impose. Eileen, I found your Polish Tea Cookies, and they sound wonderful! They will definitely will be part of my Christmas cookie collection this year. You guys are great! Chris