No-cookies cookie swap!

The holidays were happening at my house yesterday as a chunk of extended family gathered for a no-cookies cookie swap.

Family: The majority of mine, the majority of my sister Becky's, plus our mom.

No cookies in a cookie swap? Well, our annual family cookie swap — a family tradition with my mom and my siblings for nearly 30 years — has become quite large as more and more kids of the siblings became adults and joined the swapping. Which meant the number of cookies each baker must make for swapping (a dozen per swapper) resulted in an occasion more overwhelming than awesome. More chore than charm. At least for the cookie bakers and makers.

So this year we chose not to make cookies. Not to swap cookies. But to still gather together for a few festive hours to celebrate the season. And time with one other.

Seems the cookies were never the highlight of our cookie swap anyway. The highlight was time with family. We learned that last year when we had no cookie swap — the first swapless year in decades — as my dad passed away just before the swap would take place. 

A swapless year felt wrong. Void of family. So this year we altered the occasion: Deleted the cookies, delighted in family. (And missed the handful or so of traditional attendees who were unable to make it.)

Hence a new tradition is born: The annual No-Cookies Cookie Swap!

(Though a plate or two of said treats shall forever be welcome at our potluck-style seasonal soiree.) 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all!