This sounds like a fun get together for sure. I think your ideas so far for favors would be great. Maybe some kitchen lines, cookbook, gadgets, trivets. If not something on those lines, how about flavored teas, coffee. You could buy boxes of the teas and give each guest a couple of bags of each flavor. I love most items from Bath & Body Works if you think this would be something others in the family would enjoy receiving.

Hope this helps a little. Be sure and let us know what all of you make and what you give as favors. Maybe you could post a few pictures for us.

Punk

I hadn't thought of stuff from bath and body! That's a great idea, especially those little lotion and antibacterial gel bottles in fall/winter scents. I'll have to check on that. And I like the idea of flavored teas/coffees, too! I saw some really cute Christmas mugs at the dollar store so I could put some teabags in one of those in each bag/basket.

I'll definitely take pics...thanks so much for the ideas!

How about an embroidered flour sack dishtowel with their name on it or the date? I just bought the deluxe ones from this comany and they are wonderful!!! They also sent me one of their regular ones and I much prefer the deluxe. And you get 10 for around $16.00.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dishtowels

I was just given a Bath & Bodyworks foaming hand cleaner & it smells wonderful! Nephew's wife was using it & I said it smelled so good! Not like the normal kind. So I went to their site & they have all kinds. Mine is coconut, lime, verbena in 1.7 oz bottle & just takes a quick pump smells like a nice lotion. They have sale online right now for some wonderful sounding sanitizers for 3 for $10. I'm going to store to see which ones I would like. Another little gift for your relatives gift bag that is nice is to type up or handwrite your 5 favorite Christmas breads, candies you make,cookies, or punches, hot or cold. I put them on cards & slid each into a plastic sleeve & punch small hole in corner & tie them together with a small length of satin ribbon with bow to finish it off. I always do this for wedding showers when I give bread pan, cookie sheet, muffin pans or cake pans so new bride has some "tried & true" recipes even if she didn't get a cookbook as a gift. I hear from brides yrs later, I was at a gathering recently when someone walked up & said she still uses, my recipes! I gave them to her 30 yrs ago!!

Hi Okieladybug! I like all of the above ideas and would love to get any of them as a party favor. The only thing that came to my mind were seasonal scented candles (can we ever have too many of those?) or seasonal tins to store your cookies in. I love your idea of a Christmas mug with tea bags . . . and maybe a small candle? Your baking party sounds like a wonderful idea!
PS: I'm an Okie by marriage (both DH & DS went to OU; DH is originally from there). I love Oklahoma!
Lynn

Wow! Awesome ideas! Thanks everyone...I especially like the idea of the recipe cards with my five favorite Christmas recipes...what a cute idea! I'm just going to have to get picky now and narrow it down, but I don't know how with so many great ideas to choose from. I know my family will love all these things, so it's going to be fun creating the bags for them.

Thanks again!

PS to Lynn: I love Oklahoma too! I've always lived here, but I just love it...can't imagine wanting to live anywhere else, even though I've traveled some beautiful places!

Okieladybug, everyone has given you some great ideas. Something I received as a favor many years ago, and still use, is a state-shaped cookie cutter. It would be really cute tied with the recipe cards.

Have fun! Sounds like a good way to spend an evening.

Lee

A state shaped cookie cutter is a great idea! I'll have to see if I can find some online or in my local Made-in-Oklahoma store.

And a great way to spend an evening? Oh no no no...this is an entire day! :) We start around 9 in the morning and spend the entire day creating, laughing, hugging and having a fantastic time. We only get together a few times a year so it's a great time to reconnect and enjoy our family again.

Thanks again for all the replies and suggestions...I love all the ideas!

O -- This has been a long time ago, maybe they are more readily available now, but ours came from a non-chain kitchen gadget store. They also carry coffee beans, some "fancy" foods, etc.

Lee

There's a specialty kitchen store in a nearby town...I have to go there to look for new dishes so I'll check on the Oklahoma cookie cutters there, too. They probably have them or know where to get them.

Sounds like a wonderful day and you've already received lots of good ideas.

One thing I wonder if you've considered is making a family cookbook? Since it seems there are many who like cooking they could each contribute their fav recipes as well as any old family recipes they have and someone could put them on the computer and print out pages which can be placed in a small looseleaf type book. This way recipes can be easily added. It would make a nice book to hand down to the new generations. I recommend doing the half sheet pages 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 which makes a compact book. Any pertinent family history could also be included.

I've collected those fund raiser cookbooks for years and find them very interesting as well as there are lots of good recipes there. I also have some old recipe books my DM used in the 30's and they make interesting reading.