The Cookie Table, redux

[honeychile]

I know that there's several mentions of The Cookie Table in Chit Chat, but I need the opinion of those who may have tried this?

Has anybody ever tried to sell this on the uninitiated? My fiance is okay with it, but his mother hasn't said a word one way or another. Our wedding is just before Christmas, so it would normally be easy to say something like, "You'd be baking cookies for Christmas anyhow..." but first they need an explanation, I know the women of the church will be giving me a shower, so I've considered having a little note either go out with the invitations or passed around at the shower.

I've stressed the importance of this to his family, but I don't think they're really getting it. How would you handle it? What would you say?


ETA: I've already been planning take away boxes for the extras, and some kid friendly cookies.

[SWTXBelle]

I'd tell them it is a tradition which I dearly love, and it would mean a great deal to have it at your wedding. Perhaps have a cookie swap type party a few days before - everyone can bring the cookies (but not to swap!) and the recipes?

[KSUViolet06]

I'm an OH girl, so some of my friends have had cookie tables. They just told their MILs/MILs' friends/etc. about the tradition and asked them to bake for it. They were actually happy to have been asked.

Just tell them that it's tradition, that you've heard that they are great bakers and that you' love to have some of their cookies at the wedding. If you flatter people, they're more likely to want to participate (especially seeing how important it is to your event.)

Oh, and I have just decreed that you can't have a cookie table thread without cookie table idea pics:

[honeychile]

Ooooh, Aaaah at the pink!

Seriously, my future mil's eyes somewhat glazed over when I mentioned it, and of course, my mama's not around to sweetly insist. My scheme at this point:

My fiance is an SID, and an excellent writer. I was going to lamely write a somewhat short (but pretty) note, including the website I quoted, emphasizing the meaning of the acceptance of the union between us. I might throw in something that they'll be making Christmas cookies anyhow. When I email that to my fiance, he'll probably make a few changes, since these are his peeps. I also need him to pick a "cookie table lady", someone to put these all together. Around here, that automatically comes with any wedding caterers. I also reminded him that I'll be moving there, so it's not like I can bake a few thousand dozen cookies & freeze them.

Oh, if I do use the GC quote, expect this whole thread to be disappear!!

[Drolefille]

Careful if you tell everyone that your family's tradition and then your familly is talking about what a neat idea you had.

Saying it is "a" tradition you're trying to start might be better...

/2 cents

[AZTheta]

/swerve

I am going to take all of you out in a field and yell at you. I FINALLY started losing weight after months of procrastinating. NOW you've triggered my Inner Cookie Monster and I'm BAKING BROWNIES at 6:30 am. Honey, I am so mad at you I could chew tacks. The mere mention of "cookies" triggers my inner demons. And eggs are 99 cents a dozen at Albertsons, so I can bake like crazy. It's all your fault.

note to self: avoid any threads that Honey starts that have cookie in the title. And don't look at KSUViolet's posts, either.

[carnation]

Don't let MysticCat post any cookie pictures here.

[PhoenixAzul]

You know, it isn't "traditional" for the bride to bake cookies for her own wedding, but dammit, I did it anyways. If you feel like people aren't picking up what you're putting down, then perhaps you can start the baking yourself and use it as an excuse to get others involved?

We had folks start baking in July for our November wedding, and then freeze them to keep them fresh. Everything tasted delicious!

Photo evidence...dieters beware.(Also...this is a tiny fraction of what there actually was. The caterers kept filling them until we were out)

[AZTheta]

damn.

just, damn.


I'm going to block any cookie- or food-related threads. I can do that, right?

[nittanygirl]

I think cookie tables are a great tradition. Usually people I know have politely asked those close to them to bake a few of their favorite cookies so everyone can share their traditions.
I think it would be okay to leave little cards on the table at the shower or even mention you're doing a cookie table in your inivites to close family and friends and ask them to contact you or your person in charge if theyd like to share a favorite recipe orhelp bake

[groovypq]

honey, I've known people whose "church ladies" have happily made cookies for cookie tables. I know that's probably tougher since you're not going to be in your town, but perhaps MIL2B knows some such ladies?

Also, maybe a sort of compromise - I wanted a cookie table, but my sister had already volunteered to make my cake and I hated to ask her to do more. She volunteered to make cookies as favors instead - so there was a little place of 3-4 cookies at each place.

(I think she actually did more work doing that in the long run - because they were sugar cutout cookies and she iced and hand-decorated each one!)

ETA: Here's the plate from our table!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by honeychile

Seriously, my future mil's eyes somewhat glazed over when I mentioned it, and of course, my mama's not around to sweetly insist.

I'm laughing a bit at the need for a Southern mother to enforce the cookie table tradition. My mother's "sweet insistence" would simply have been "That's just how it's done." The negative of that -- "that's just not how it's done" -- was what I heard when I lobbied for a non-chocolate groom's cake. "But mother, I'm the groom and I don't like chocolate cake!" "That's just not how it's done."

Yeah, the groom's cake was chocolate.

Originally Posted by carnation

Don't let MysticCat post any cookie pictures here.

[carnation]

Now those cake-cookies are precious!

[honeychile]

MysticCat, those cookies are simply gorgeous! Almost too pretty to eat, in fact!

My mama had to swim upstream, so to speak, not having anyone to back her up in traditions, so she would insist that you do something in a way that you're honored to do it! "Now don't you think that a cookie table would be absolutely darling? And it's just such a lovely tradition, blessing the newlyweds with sweets!"

She was at one of her club meetings when a handwriting analyst was there. They all had to write some phrase & give it to him. When he read hers, he laughed and said, "You don't always see the Steel Hand in the Velvet Glove this far north! Ladies, if you know this woman, she will charm you into doing whatever she wants." This was long before Steel Magnolias, too!

PhoenixAzul, if I get there with some time on my hands (Time! Hah!), I will bake cookies! My fiance & his friends swear I bake the best cookies! But alas, I can't make them here, and hope to freeze them beforehand. I have cookie cutters for 4 different sizes & shapes of snowflakes, and I'd LOVE to be able to have them! Last year, I make thumbprints with light blue icing, and sprinkled edible snowflakes on top - they were a HUGE hit!

[honeychile]

Hey, I just realized that I can make rum balls and bourbon balls ahead of time! They'll be about 200 proof by then, but they'll be made!