1. Everyone brings one dozen cookies for each of the guests invited. So if 12 people are coming, you bring 12 dozen cookies (wrapped by the dozen). If someone is a no-show, those attending just divide the extra cookies to take home.
2. Festive wrapping goes a long way.
3. Include the recipe with each package.
4. The hostess provides refreshments. (always important! lol )
5. We play a couple of fun games (Scattergories, Tri-bond, etc.)
6. We have a small gift exchange using the Mr. / Mrs. Wright story, or a similar one.

Idea: Use empty plastic thread spool for decorating sugar cookies. Simply press the spool into the dough, imprinting a pretty flower design.

Professionally decorated cakes have a silky molten look. To get that appearance, frost your cake as usual, then use a hair dryer to blow dry the surface. The slight melting of the frosting will give it a lustrous appearance.

I don't remember who sent me these next tips.....thank you whoever you are!

• You can remove permanent marker off almost anything by scrubbing with toothpaste.
• You can help your drains flow better by placing a tea bag over the drain opening than running hot water over it.
• Nail poish remover will take scuffs off of dress shoes
• Washing painted walls is faster and cheaper then painting them.

(Here is the story we have used for the present exchange. You sit everyone in a circle (or a few circles if you are in a large group) and pass the presents whenever a direction is given. )

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Tommy WRIGHT. He lived with his mother, Mrs. WRIGHT and his father Dr. WRIGHT and his sister Sara WRIGHT.

He had four shiny quarters LEFT from some birthday money that Grandma WRIGHT had sent him besides the $8.12 LEFT in his piggy bank. Now it was time to buy the RIGHT present for each member of the WRIGHT family. So one morning he hopped RIGHT out of bed, RIGHT into his slippers that were RIGHT next to his bed and quietly LEFT home. He went carefully ACROSS the street to the big store on the LEFT side of Main Street. The store was decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments.

Tommy WRIGHT thought and thought about Christmas presents and he looked at all the things for sale. "Let's see," said Tommy, "I know, I'll get Mother WRIGHT some warm gloves. Here is the RIGHT one but where is the LEFT one? Oh! Here it is, RIGHT under the RIGHT one. I sure hope they are the RIGHT color. They cost $3.06 so I have $6.06 LEFT to spend. Not for Daddy WRIGHT. Would he like a truck or maybe a ball or a LEFT handed catcher's mitt? I know, I'll get him a football so we can play catch RIGHT in your own back yard when he comes home from work. Let's see, I had $6.06 LEFT and the football is $5.06 so now I have $1.00 LEFT for Sara's present. Here is what she wants. A pretty new purse and I think I have just enough money LEFT to buy it. Tommy WRIGHT clutched his presents happily and went running RIGHT up to the lady at the counter and gave her all the money in his RIGHT pocket.

"Is that RIGHT?", he asked as he gave her his money. "It will be $1.05 with tax," she said," she said. "Oh no," said Tommy WRIGHT. "I forgot about tax." Tommy WRIGHT started crying. Tears streaked RIGHT and LEFT down his little face. RIGHT then the door burst open and in came Santa Claus who had LEFT the North Pole and had come RIGHT to Tommy WRIGHT's town to take orders from children for Christmas. "Ho, Ho, Ho," said Santa. "We can't have Santa's helpers sad like this. Let's see now, I bet I have five pennies RIGHT here in my LEFT pocket. Santa Claus checked his LEFT pocket and found nothing. "Oh, no," said Santa. "I must have put them into my RIGHT pocket instead of my LEFT. Here they are RIGHT here in my RIGHT pocket, Tommy. Ho! Ho! Ho! and a Merry Christmas to all the WRIGHT's from Santa Claus and his helpers."

Tommy WRIGHT LEFT the story, ran back ACROSS the street and all the way home to tell his sister Sara WRIGHT that he had seen and talked to Santa. He was so happy that he wrapped his presents RIGHT away and LEFT them under the Christmas tree. Mr. and Mrs. WRIGHT and Sara WRIGHT were thrilled with their presents. Tommy WRIGHT felt really happy even though he had no money LEFT. Christmas morning for the WRIGHT family was joyful, and Christmas LEFT nothing to want.