Friends Jasmine Brett Stringer and Kim Sundy. Photo: Chris Emeott
Dynamic duo gives the traditional cookie exchange party a festive edge.
It’s one of the most coveted invites of the holiday season for friends of Edina’s Jasmine Brett Stringer and Kim Sundy: the annual cookie exchange party. Each December, they welcome more than 60 people for an evening of sweet treats, hearty laughs and friendly competition. “We have a lot of people who say, ‘I never thought a cookie exchange party could be so epic,’” Stringer says. Sundy adds, “We go all out … This is our Super Bowl.”
This cookie exchange party is next level, complete with themed décor, a signature cocktail and even a party butler. It’s no wonder guests are always asking if they can bring a friend next year. “It has become about community over time,” Sundy says. “That’s what’s really special about it.”
First Fête
Stringer and Sundy first met when they were assigned to the same party planning committee at General Mills. “We just clicked,” Stringer says.
The instant friends eventually migrated their party planning prowess outside of the office and decided to throw their own event. That first cookie exchange party was 13 years ago. Sundy was living in Mexico City at the time, and they were trying to figure out a way to get together over the holidays. They opted to model a festive fête after the famous Wellesley Cookie Exchange. Sundy would fly back to the Twin Cities for the event, and they would invite a small handful of their closest friends. Everything was going to plan until Stringer, who had been working in New York prior to the party, got stuck on the tarmac waiting for her flight back to Minnesota. “I only made it to the tail end of the first one,” Stringer says. “But I saw the energy and excitement.”
Jill Wheeler, LaRae Ellingson and Brenda Bunnell. Photos: Jasmine Brett Stringer
That was enough to convince the duo to throw a second party the following year. Over time, they outgrew Stringer’s condo and then her house. During COVID-19, they hosted the party virtually. And for the last three years, the friends hosted the event in an office center. “It’s a holiday tradition now,” Sundy says. “Life is busy, but people will say, ‘I know I’ll see you at the cookie exchange,’” Stringer says.
The Vibe
So, what is it about this cookie exchange party that has people clamoring for an invite? “It’s the energy and the vibe,” Stringer says. “Joy is on the menu,” Sundy says. “It’s a nice place to meet people.”
Snowflake sugar cookies.
Stringer and Sundy set the tone for the event. “We always have matching Christmas sweaters and some sort of lighted feature or accessory,” Stringer says. They fill the space with holiday décor. (Last year, there were poinsettias everywhere.) They also develop a signature drink for their guests. Aside from some light hors d’oeuvres, the hosts let the cookies take center stage. “A lot of people try to get there early,” Stringer says. “They bring displays with lights and everything.”
“People really do get into the presentation,” Sundy says, noting all the extras competitors bring from décor to chocolates to shots that complement their creations. “It becomes contagious,” Stringer says. That’s right. A plate of cookies won’t cut it for this cookie exchange. This is a competition where taste and presentation go hand in hand. That’s one of the reasons Stringer and Sundy enlisted the aid of a party butler to greet guests and help them set up their stations. “[The butler] allows us to be present for our guests,” Sundy says. “A little help goes a long way.”
Acooa Ellis and Rachelle McCord.
Participants are asked to bring six dozen cookies or treats for the competition. They compete in a variety of categories from Most Festive and Best Presentation to Gluten-Free and Best Treat. Winners are chosen by secret ballot, and prizes are awarded. “It’s small prizes but big bragging rights,” Sundy says. “This is a resume builder,” Stringer jokes.
Among their favorites over the years is a series of intricate black and white Santas for Sundy and a classic wreath made out of corn flakes for Stringer. “Good cookies win,” Stringer says. And while most first timers have no idea what they’re in for at one of Stringer and Sundy’s events, just a taste of it is usually enough to have them hatching a plan for next year. “We are bringing you into our world,” Sundy says. “Come in a white sweater, and we’ll have you leaving in tinsel.”
While Stringer and Sundy have a good handle on their own cookie exchange party, they still start planning for the next one as they are cleaning up the current one, talking about what went well and what they’d like to do next year. “We’re always thinking about the guest experience,” Sundy says.
And if you’re lucky enough to get an invite, flex your creative muscles and enjoy. “You are part of the experience,” Sundy says. “This cookie party is our gift to our friends.”
Chocolate peppermint cookies.
Bake, Trade, Repeat
For those interested in hosting a cookie exchange party, Jasmine Brett Stringer advises nailing down a theme early and using that to shape the event and start gathering materials. Send out save the dates as soon as possible, and let guests know the categories and the theme, Stringer says. Then, let the invitees work their magic. “It’s all guest driven,” she says. “The people bring the energy.”
