How Our Sweetest Holiday Tradition Has Grown With Us
Some holiday traditions change as your kids grow, but the good ones evolve right along with you. Our Annual Cookie Party is one of those traditions. It started more than a decade ago when my closest friends began having babies and I wanted to create something meaningful we could do together. We baked cookies, made a mess, laughed our way through pounds of sprinkles, and called it a party.
Back then the whole day felt like a marathon. I would bake tray after tray of cookies from scratch, help the little ones frost them, and try to keep the sprinkles from covering the entire house. It was chaotic and sweet and so special. Over the years our kids grew, schedules filled, and the party changed right along with us.
Last year I tried something new.
Instead of a kids’ cookie party, I hosted the first ever grown-up version with my friends at Kismet Cosmetics. We traded toddlers for gingerbread houses, frosting for lip gloss, and sprinkles for face glitter. It was creative and fun in a totally different way and I walked away feeling just as nostalgic as the early years.
No matter what the party looks like, the heart of it stays the same. It is an intentional pause in the middle of the holiday rush to gather, laugh, and make something together.
How Our Cookie Party Works Today
I keep it simple, joyful, and easy to set up whether I am hosting for kids or adults.
1. Order the Cookies and Frosting
Rouses handles the baking for me. They sell the cookies by the dozen and the frosting by the pound. One pound goes a long way, especially once it softens.
2. Set Up a Decorating Station
I leave the frosting out for about 30 minutes so it spreads easily. Toppings always include a mix of sprinkles, peppermints, chocolate chips, marshmallows, and gummy bears. Friends usually bring extras so there is always plenty.
For kids’ parties, every child gets three cookies. One to eat and two to bring home. I also love having cookie tins for families so nothing gets squished on the way out.
3. Keep It Low Stress
Paper tablecloths, paper plates, and plastic knives keep cleanup fast and painless. This is one of those events that is supposed to feel fun, not formal.
4. Add Something Festive
Over the years I have done hot chocolate bars, themed toppings, and last year I added homemade lip gloss and face glitter stations with Kismet Cosmetics during our adult version.
And in case you need it, here is my eggnog recipe that people ask for every time:
Homemade Eggnog
12 eggs
12 tbsp sugar
1 quart half and half
1 quart condensed milk
2 cups brandy
1 cup whiskey
1 cup rum
4 oz sherry
nutmeg to taste
Blend eggs. If you prefer to temper them, you can. Chill the mixture before serving. Serve over ice.
Why I Keep This Tradition Going
Entertaining during the holidays brings me so much joy. Watching kids decorate cookies with total creative freedom or seeing my friends laugh while they build gingerbread houses reminds me why I love hosting in the first place. There is something magical about giving people the space to slow down and make something with their hands.
This tradition has grown with my family, and I love that it still fits our life today. Whether it is a table full of kids using an entire jar of sprinkles or a night with girlfriends and glitter, the cookie party will always be one of my favorite parts of the season.
XO,
Tiffany
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