Drop in and decorate

December 10, 2006 in Uncategorized

The writer of one of my very favorite food blogs, The Perfect Pantry, every year hosts a "Drop in and Decorate" party at which folks get together and create brightly decorated holiday cookies for those in need.

Last year at her gathering, 45 adults and teens decorated 650 cookies that were donated to shelters serving women and children who are the victims of domestic violence, to a local food pantry, and to a short-term emergency shelter in their area.

So often when people in need receive aid, it is generic, undifferentiated, basic. I love the idea of families and children receiving instead brightly colored cellophane packages of these hand-crafted, bright, joyous cookies tied lovingly with ribbon attaching a note that says "Made by friends in Glocester, RI with natural ingredients and love."

If you’d like to host a "drop in and decorate" party, Lydia has created a fantastic "how-to" guide here.

It sounds like fun! I do hope my friend Lucy who can bake perfect bundt cakes even with her eyes closed and with no flour or bundt pan or oven will hold one and invite me… [My new year’s resolution is to be really specific about what I’m wishing for. I’m just practicing… smile]. Bake on!

Image from here.

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

8 comments to " Drop in and decorate "


Marilyn

December 10, 2006 AT 7:49PM

I LOVE this idea. They’re doing a cookie swap at work…but the last thing J and I need to be consuming over my two-week Winter break is SIX DOZEN cookies. Now, if they’d said make six dozen cookies for a good cause, I’d have been all over it.

Lydia

December 11, 2006 AT 5:46PM

Patti, a thousand thanks for this! Here’s a quick update, as our Drop In event just concluded: 650 cookies decorated by 50 volunteers, distributed to two food pantries and seven family emergency shelters. I’ll be posting more photos from this year on my web site by the end of this week.

Eve

December 12, 2006 AT 10:15AM

Dear Lyd,
Congratulations on another successful Drop In & Decorate! Mark and I are so sad that house projects kept us away – but it is on the calendar already for 2007! Your commitment to good, community, creativity and fun just coontinue to amaze me!
Congratulations and much love, The Ornstedts!

Maria

December 12, 2006 AT 11:09AM

Ooooo that’s a good resolution to start 2007 with! I, specifically, really want a ton of those cookies! I’m going for the whole “less work, more play” angle. You should enter yours over here: http://newyearresolutionblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/win-night-at-movies.html Who couldn’t use a free night out?

Joy

December 13, 2006 AT 1:15AM

What an awesome way to spread holiday cheer and bring a smile to those in need of one! Thanks for reminding us what matters most at this time of year!

Josiane Feigon

December 13, 2006 AT 10:25AM

Your blog is always the first I read for heartfelt inspiration. I wanted to give back this time of year and the timing on your Drop In & Decorate party is perfect. I’m going to try to scramble some folks for this in the next week. Thanks for passing this on.

diana jenner

December 14, 2006 AT 1:35AM

another of those strange coincidences that you and i seem to be a part of ::g::
My son, Hayden, found this online today and sent me one… you should send some too!
http://www.theoworlds.com/christmas/index.asp?CardID=61584
~d xoxo

Lydia

December 21, 2006 AT 9:17AM

The photos from this year’s Drop In are now posted on my web site: http://www.ninecooks.com/dropinphotos.html.

Thanks again for helping to spread the word!

Happy holidays to all…..