The Great Mefi Cookie Swap 2019 November 18, 2019 6:42 AM Subscribe
Lovely mefities, Cookie Swapping Season is nigh! Sign up by December 1 to get in on all of this deliciousness.
Fun Fact: 2019 marks the 10th anniversary of the Mefi Cookie Swap! This tasty tradition began with shothotbot and was carried on by ausdemfenster over the years.
Last year, I took on the task of keeping the cookie swap going, and it was a fantastic experience!
Thank you to all who offered helpful feedback!
To sign up, please complete the Google Form here by December 1.
Bakers will be organized in groups of 4-ish, based on a very complex algorithm factoring into account each person's dietary restrictions, geography, and favorite GBBO contestant (#teamjames4life).
I will do my level best to get groups organized and notifications sent out by December 3.
By December 13, you should send 6 cookies to each of the bakers in your assigned groups. That’s 18 cookies minimum, but feel free to bake extra for friends, household members, IRL strangers, or whoever looks like they could use a cookie.
If you have questions, feel free to memail me or email themeficookieswap@gmail.com
Glad tidings and tasty treats to all,
Chara
Fun Fact: 2019 marks the 10th anniversary of the Mefi Cookie Swap! This tasty tradition began with shothotbot and was carried on by ausdemfenster over the years.
Last year, I took on the task of keeping the cookie swap going, and it was a fantastic experience!
Thank you to all who offered helpful feedback!
To sign up, please complete the Google Form here by December 1.
Bakers will be organized in groups of 4-ish, based on a very complex algorithm factoring into account each person's dietary restrictions, geography, and favorite GBBO contestant (#teamjames4life).
I will do my level best to get groups organized and notifications sent out by December 3.
By December 13, you should send 6 cookies to each of the bakers in your assigned groups. That’s 18 cookies minimum, but feel free to bake extra for friends, household members, IRL strangers, or whoever looks like they could use a cookie.
If you have questions, feel free to memail me or email themeficookieswap@gmail.com
Glad tidings and tasty treats to all,
Chara
I don't have the bandwidth to do this this year but if any DC area mefites want to do a local swap I could possibly get in on that. I hope everyone gets lots of deliciousness!
posted by brilliantine at 8:40 AM on November 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by brilliantine at 8:40 AM on November 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
Yay! I love baking. I'm so excited to try new cookies.
posted by kathrynm at 8:50 AM on November 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by kathrynm at 8:50 AM on November 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
Excuse me there seems to be a mistake there's no dedicated space for favorite GBBO contestant on the form.
Yay! I had to sit out last year, but I'll be very happy to tell my spouse that there will, in fact, be "Cookies from random people on the internet" again this year.
posted by damayanti at 9:25 AM on November 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
Yay! I had to sit out last year, but I'll be very happy to tell my spouse that there will, in fact, be "Cookies from random people on the internet" again this year.
posted by damayanti at 9:25 AM on November 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
Excuse me there seems to be a mistake there's no dedicated space for favorite GBBO contestant on the form.
But then I'd have to DECIDE on just one favorite!
I make an exception to my NO COOKIES rule for this event. (I love to eat them, but hate to bake them.) We devoured the better part of the contributions on Christmas Day last year as part of an all-day Charcuterie nibble-fest, and that was really nice. I'm really excited to see it back again this year!
posted by PearlRose at 9:39 AM on November 18, 2019
But then I'd have to DECIDE on just one favorite!
I make an exception to my NO COOKIES rule for this event. (I love to eat them, but hate to bake them.) We devoured the better part of the contributions on Christmas Day last year as part of an all-day Charcuterie nibble-fest, and that was really nice. I'm really excited to see it back again this year!
posted by PearlRose at 9:39 AM on November 18, 2019
Yay! I missed it last year due to having a baby at the end of November, so I am excited to get back at it. Thank you so much Chara!
posted by just_ducky at 10:09 AM on November 18, 2019
posted by just_ducky at 10:09 AM on November 18, 2019
Oh god I signed up even though I swore I never would again after a kind of disappointing experience a few years back. But! the first year I participated was one of my happiest; I really liked a reason to get into a festive mood early in December and I'm looking forward to doing that again. And besides, one of my best friends asked if we could do a cookie exchange this year instead of presents so I might as well go all out!
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 11:20 AM on November 18, 2019
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 11:20 AM on November 18, 2019
I signed up. I need some holiday cheer. I remember when this started. It's thrilling that it's still going on.
posted by hippybear at 2:28 PM on November 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 2:28 PM on November 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
I literally went to Metatalk today in the hopes that this was up and I am so so so glad it is! SUPER love the cookie swap!
posted by FritoKAL at 4:26 PM on November 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by FritoKAL at 4:26 PM on November 18, 2019 [2 favorites]
Thank you for picking up the mantle, err - mixing bowl -- again this year, chara. And thanks to ausdemfenster for many years of meritorious service and to all the MeFi bakers for such deliciousness. One of my IRL friends started asking about the cookie swap the day after Halloween, and I've been checking Metatalk for the announcement for the past week or so. Yay! Cookies!
posted by LeftMyHeartInSanFrancisco at 7:43 PM on November 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by LeftMyHeartInSanFrancisco at 7:43 PM on November 18, 2019 [1 favorite]
Signed up! Thank you for organizing. I love this and the card exchanges.
posted by topophilia at 8:49 PM on November 18, 2019
posted by topophilia at 8:49 PM on November 18, 2019
I have also been checking MetaTalk for the cookie swap thread! I now have a gas oven for the first time in 13 years and I can’t wait to make some awesome cookies.
posted by amapolaroja at 11:13 PM on November 18, 2019
posted by amapolaroja at 11:13 PM on November 18, 2019
Yay! I’m firing up my kitchenaid!
posted by Secretariat at 10:47 AM on November 19, 2019
posted by Secretariat at 10:47 AM on November 19, 2019
I am not going to make that December 13 shipping deadline. Based on what I know about my schedule I will probably be baking on the 14th and 15th, with shipment likely on the 16th. I always feel guilty being a late shipper, so I'm throwing this to the group: is a quorum cool with late shipment or should I just sit this year out?
posted by fedward at 1:25 PM on November 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by fedward at 1:25 PM on November 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
OH YEAH!
I promise I will use the good ketchup this year.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 2:13 PM on November 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
I promise I will use the good ketchup this year.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 2:13 PM on November 19, 2019 [1 favorite]
> I always feel guilty being a late shipper, so I'm throwing this to the group: is a quorum cool with late shipment or should I just sit this year out?
Personally I think the shipping deadline is sort of aggressive, though I have no doubt there's good reason for it (maybe because of all the shipping chaos that time of year and to keep the amazing organizers sane during a busy time of year). But for me, personally, I would be cool with getting cookies up until the end of the month! And a late shipment would also be a nice treat to spread out my cookie consumption longer :)
But it really sucked the time that no one else in my group sent out cookies on time because I was left wondering if no one was going to send them at all, after I busted my butt getting them nicely packaged and off to the post office it made me bitter to be left wondering. So I think communication and setting a clear expectation of when to expect cookies makes all the difference.
(Note I've mentioned a negative experience twice now and I know I've mentioned it elsewhere, but want to be clear I think the cookie exchange is awesome and I'm so grateful for it! My bad experience was awhile ago and I think under an old username so no idea who was even in my group that year.)
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 2:50 PM on November 19, 2019
Personally I think the shipping deadline is sort of aggressive, though I have no doubt there's good reason for it (maybe because of all the shipping chaos that time of year and to keep the amazing organizers sane during a busy time of year). But for me, personally, I would be cool with getting cookies up until the end of the month! And a late shipment would also be a nice treat to spread out my cookie consumption longer :)
But it really sucked the time that no one else in my group sent out cookies on time because I was left wondering if no one was going to send them at all, after I busted my butt getting them nicely packaged and off to the post office it made me bitter to be left wondering. So I think communication and setting a clear expectation of when to expect cookies makes all the difference.
(Note I've mentioned a negative experience twice now and I know I've mentioned it elsewhere, but want to be clear I think the cookie exchange is awesome and I'm so grateful for it! My bad experience was awhile ago and I think under an old username so no idea who was even in my group that year.)
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 2:50 PM on November 19, 2019
Regarding the aggressive shipping deadline: When I consulted with ausdemfenster about best practices for the cookie swap, she suggested that I set a shipping date at least a week prior to December 25 to account for people who would be traveling during the holidays and wouldn't be home to receive their shipment.
Fedward (and any other potential late shippers), I think it's fine if your cookies aren't shipped exactly by December 13, as long as that's communicated to your group in advance so they can prepare accordingly. As the thorn bushes have roses stated, clear communication is the key to a successful cookie swap!
posted by chara at 7:12 AM on November 20, 2019 [1 favorite]
Fedward (and any other potential late shippers), I think it's fine if your cookies aren't shipped exactly by December 13, as long as that's communicated to your group in advance so they can prepare accordingly. As the thorn bushes have roses stated, clear communication is the key to a successful cookie swap!
posted by chara at 7:12 AM on November 20, 2019 [1 favorite]
Alright then, I'm signed up. Yay, cookies! Thanks for organizing, chara.
posted by fedward at 10:07 AM on November 21, 2019
posted by fedward at 10:07 AM on November 21, 2019
I've done this swap three or four times now, and it seems that someone (one year, all of us) always sends out late, usually the Monday or Tuesday after the deadline, because we tend to bake over the weekend and the post office is closed on Sundays.
Just use the e-mail chain and communicate, and it has never ever been an problem. I like to think that a bevy of cookies coming on multiple days is a Good Thing.
posted by PearlRose at 8:49 AM on November 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
Just use the e-mail chain and communicate, and it has never ever been an problem. I like to think that a bevy of cookies coming on multiple days is a Good Thing.
posted by PearlRose at 8:49 AM on November 27, 2019 [1 favorite]
Okay friends, assignments have been sent! I pushed the send by date back to 12/14 to give you some more time. Happy baking!
posted by chara at 11:09 PM on December 2, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by chara at 11:09 PM on December 2, 2019 [6 favorites]
Team Honeycomb, represent! <3
I'm going to try really, really hard to get cookies out by the deadline this year. I already have a couple of ideas, and will have to resist the urge to make too much, as per usual.
posted by PearlRose at 8:03 AM on December 3, 2019
I'm going to try really, really hard to get cookies out by the deadline this year. I already have a couple of ideas, and will have to resist the urge to make too much, as per usual.
posted by PearlRose at 8:03 AM on December 3, 2019
I usually do saltine toffee, but I'm thinking I'll do cookies with peanut butter M&Ms and caramel M&Ms this time.
posted by sugar and confetti at 8:47 AM on December 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by sugar and confetti at 8:47 AM on December 3, 2019 [2 favorites]
If you need to get in the spirit for baking, this post from a couple years ago has a spotify and a youtube playlist for xmas baking tunes.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 9:49 AM on December 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by ArgentCorvid at 9:49 AM on December 3, 2019 [1 favorite]
If you are participating in Whamaggedon, you are tempting fate to use the playlists :-)
posted by amapolaroja at 11:52 PM on December 4, 2019
posted by amapolaroja at 11:52 PM on December 4, 2019
Team Hot Cocoa here!
I emailed our team to say howdy but also to ask our Canadian member if there's a better way to mail to people USA -> Canada than postal service. I've sent things in the past that have taken AGES to get from me in WA state to Vancouver, but same day mail got to southern Florida in 3 days (First Class mail, not Priority).
So, Canadians participating? Any suggestions? UPS or some other service, which I'd pay more to ship with if the cookies got there more promptly. (I know not everyone would, but this could be useful information if you know of anything.)
Nobody I know in the US that I've asked has ever mailed anything to Canada, so I'm already an outlier even only 150 miles or so from the border.
posted by hippybear at 8:16 PM on December 5, 2019
I emailed our team to say howdy but also to ask our Canadian member if there's a better way to mail to people USA -> Canada than postal service. I've sent things in the past that have taken AGES to get from me in WA state to Vancouver, but same day mail got to southern Florida in 3 days (First Class mail, not Priority).
So, Canadians participating? Any suggestions? UPS or some other service, which I'd pay more to ship with if the cookies got there more promptly. (I know not everyone would, but this could be useful information if you know of anything.)
Nobody I know in the US that I've asked has ever mailed anything to Canada, so I'm already an outlier even only 150 miles or so from the border.
posted by hippybear at 8:16 PM on December 5, 2019
tempting fate to use the playlists
Wait, there are playlists involved?
posted by hippybear at 8:18 PM on December 5, 2019
Wait, there are playlists involved?
posted by hippybear at 8:18 PM on December 5, 2019
Hi meficookie swap! I realized today when cookies arrived in the mail from cookiesandcofetti that I never received notification of my group. If I'm in your group cookies will be sent out as soon as I get your info but they may be late.
Thank you Cookiesandconfetti! your cookies are AMAZING!
posted by bluesky43 at 11:40 AM on December 7, 2019
Thank you Cookiesandconfetti! your cookies are AMAZING!
posted by bluesky43 at 11:40 AM on December 7, 2019
I also have the mailing-to-Canada question hippybear has, just replace "Team Hot Cocoa" with "Team Marshmallow."
posted by fedward at 1:41 PM on December 7, 2019
posted by fedward at 1:41 PM on December 7, 2019
I swear I'm baking tomorrow and shipping Monday, so help me Krampus!
posted by hippybear at 5:01 PM on December 7, 2019
posted by hippybear at 5:01 PM on December 7, 2019
I did it! I baked and shipped before the deadline! I feel like a responsible adult!
posted by hippybear at 4:45 PM on December 9, 2019
posted by hippybear at 4:45 PM on December 9, 2019
I baked today, and decorated and... well, the icing isn't set up enough yet for me to put them in the mail, so I guess they have to wait for tomorrow. But tomorrow!
posted by Secretariat at 4:53 PM on December 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Secretariat at 4:53 PM on December 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
I baked and shipped yesterday!
posted by tangosnail at 7:22 AM on December 10, 2019
posted by tangosnail at 7:22 AM on December 10, 2019
I baked and shipped yesterday! And in honor of the Triple Ginger Molasses cookies sailing on their way to Team Fudge, one of my dad's favorite jokes:
Three moles were sitting in a hole in the ground. One poked his head out the hole and said "Yum! I can smell pancakes." The 2nd one poke their head out the hole and said "Yum! I can smell waffles!" The third mole tried to get out the hole, but it was blocked by the other two, and said "Well all I can smell is mole-asses."
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 11:58 AM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
Three moles were sitting in a hole in the ground. One poked his head out the hole and said "Yum! I can smell pancakes." The 2nd one poke their head out the hole and said "Yum! I can smell waffles!" The third mole tried to get out the hole, but it was blocked by the other two, and said "Well all I can smell is mole-asses."
posted by Pretty Good Talker at 11:58 AM on December 10, 2019 [2 favorites]
Team Hazelnut update: my first batch of cookies has arrived! In the box was not one but two varieties of amazing vegan cookies from too bad you're not me. Thank you so so much -- they are both DELICIOUS!
posted by ourobouros at 6:43 PM on December 14, 2019
posted by ourobouros at 6:43 PM on December 14, 2019
Bluesky43, the cookies are DELICIOUS. I'll admit when I saw your note about an extra "kick," I thought "they wouldn't have put weed in these, right?" Anyway they're really good.
posted by sugar and confetti at 4:03 AM on December 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by sugar and confetti at 4:03 AM on December 16, 2019 [1 favorite]
sugarandconfetti - haha, maybe next year :). this year the kicky-est ingredient was sriracha.
posted by bluesky43 at 12:22 PM on December 16, 2019
posted by bluesky43 at 12:22 PM on December 16, 2019
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"You are right," said Toad. "Let us eat one last cookie, and then we will stop." Frog and Toad ate one last cookie. There were many cookies left in the bowl.
"Frog," said Toad, "let us eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop." Frog and Toad ate one very last cookie.
"We must stop eating!" cried Toad as he ate another.
posted by sugar and confetti at 6:52 AM on November 18, 2019 [13 favorites]