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Low Carb Christmas Goodie Swap
Rate it! Votes (1) | Comments (0) By Jan McCracken Posted August 6th, 2007 Jan McCracken is the author of Low Carb Christmas Cookin', (2003, Poppyseed Press)	Low Carb Christmas Cookin'

Ever been to an old-fashioned Christmas cookie swap? Well, just because we are low carbing for life doesn't mean we are going to be deprived this Christmas or ever!

A "Low Carb Christmas Goodie Swap" is the perfect way to begin your holiday festivities. Set your date now and begin inviting your low carb friends! Make it special from the start and create a FREE email invitation at www.evite.com or make personal phone calls.

Don't know about the indulgence and relaxation and FUN of a Low Carb Goodie Swap and how it's done? No worries, it's simple. Each guest brings one kind of low carb goodie, which makes it easy on the guest (don't forget to include yourself as a "guest" so you get goodies too).

Ask each guest brings one dozen goodies per guest at the party. Formula: 9 guests = 9 dozen goodies, plus add an extra half dozen for 9 1/2 dozen goodies. Why the extra half dozen? So everyone can sample the goodies at the party.

It is nice if the goodies freeze well so they don't get wasted or so we don't eat them all at once when we get home. Be sure to ask each guest to bring printed recipes for their goodies. Why not request that the goodie recipes be printed on a 4 x 6 inch card. Then use a fancy punch (like a star), some pretty red ribbon and tie all the goodie recipes together to form a little booklet for each guest to take home. You could print out some special Christmas quotes on a 4 x 6 inch card with the date and "First Annual Low Carb Goodie Swap" on it for a cover. What a nice memento of a fun-filled time with Low Carb friends.

Have a simple and festive centerpiece -- a small, live, Christmas tree (the smell is so awesome) and decorate with miniature cookie cutters. (You can find the cookie cutters at a lot of dollar stores in a package!) Make special tent cards to write the name of each type of goodie and place the tent cards in front of each plate of goodies (these would be the goodies your guests bring to the swap). Have a large platter or tray for the sampling goodies that each guest can contribute to as they arrive.

You, the hostess, can prepare something festive and easy (like Chicken Poinsettias on Page 201 in my Low Carb Christmas Cookin? cookbook). This will give everyone some "real food" before embarking on the goodies. Prepare a special coffee drink with a dollop of whipped cream and start tastiing. Remember to set out a couple pitchers of water with lemon slices and small glasses. It may be Christmas but it is still a low carb party.

Place Christmas candles everywhere -- even in the bathroom , crank up those Christmas tunes and you have a party. Have each guest tell about the creation they have brought to contribute. Maybe the first batch flopped; maybe they were trying to convert an old recipe to low carb-- there might be some giggles there; maybe it is just a favorite that they wanted to share.

Ask each guest to bring a large container to tote their goodies home

Merry, Merry Low Carb Christmas!

See the related recipes section below for low carb goodie recipe links.

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