When I first heard about cookie exchanges, I've always wanted to participate in one.  I've wanted to host one too, but all my family lives in Minnesota.  A few years back I purchased a cookie exchange kit from Williams-Sonoma with cute gingerbread house invitations.  It's still siting in my closet waiting to be used.  This year I was invited to my first cookie exchange!  You would think being a Cookier I would get invited to tons of cookie exchanges but I don't.  I was super excited about my being invited so I made a whole array of Christmas cookies.  

I had so much fun making these painted Santa faces.

I saw this little gingerbread man cutter on Instagram and had to rush over to Target to see if they had any left.  Luckily, I live in a small town so there was one boy and girl left just for me.  Thank you cookie gods!  Both of these cutters are by Threshold and they only cost $1.  They are not available online, so head over to your local Target.  I looked up pictures of gingerbread boys and girls clip art and took all the attributes I liked and put them into these cookies.  Both cookies were piped wet-on-wet.

We rarely need for mittens in Arizona.  I hang onto mine just in case we travel to Minnesota.  I love how white icing looks; It's just so perfect and easy.  I used my mitten cutter from here.  I piped a knit pattern on with a 1.5 PME tip. These cookies make me want to knit up a pair of white mittens

I knew that I wanted to make some kind of cookies that said HO HO HO to go with the Santas.  The arrow cutter is from here.  I tried the wood plank technique again.  I first tried it in the early fall with these cookies.  I feel I did a better job this time but it still needs some work.

These cutters are from Meri Meri and sadly they are no longer available.  I painted the faces the same way as I did for Mystery Shape Monday.

I had fun at my first Cookie Exchange and I hope my friends enjoy their cookies!