Sharing Traditions

In my adult life I have adopted the annual event of exchanging cookies with my co-workers and friends to help share the spirit of the holiday. Normally I invite a group of girlfriends to come bake desserts with me in my kitchen. We listen to holiday tunes, we watch our favorite seasonal movies, we drink wine, laugh and bake! And then we all get to leave with an assortment of yummy treats that can then later be gifted, shared a parties, or indulged on at home. In addition, since beginning to work at the Holly's I've also joined in on their annual cookie exchange, where we again all go home with a plate full of deliciousness.

This year though, it's been a little hard to get into the mood of the holiday for me (it's not even cold here, let alone snowing!), so my co-worker Abby and I decided to organize an old favorite American Cultural activity for our Guatemalan co-workers this season......the 1st Annual Common Hope Holiday Cookie Exchange.

Baking isn't a very common part of the cuture, but we had a plethora of interested ladies who found joy in partaking in an American tradition. Granted about half of the cookies were store bought, but the majority were carefully decorated, adorned and presented beautifully. The whole idea of the event was a success. For an hour or so during our lunch break, a group of us gathered together in merriment while sipping hot cocoa and nibbling on our sweet morsels! One friend even shared with us that she'll remember this day forever....and that made it all worthwhile!

The sisters Garcia enjoy a taste of their take home treats!

Ready, Set, Let the exchanging begin!

Our only male participant is still too young for cookie eating!

A girl after my own heart, Lisa made sure the arragement was perfect.

Lucia & Xiomara pulled out all the stops with their cookie gun!

Rosi and her daughter didn't waste any time sampling the goods!

Here's to sharing tradions!