Set the mood and play holiday music in the background.
Serve some refreshments; but keep it simple, make something that can be pre-made the night before and easily reheated for the party.
Plan to serve a holiday beverage, like hot chocolate or warm apple cider, along with standard beverages: coffee, tea, juice, and even milk.
Supply extra plastic bags or containers for guests to transport their cookies home. There are sure to be some who forget to bring their own.
Have several festive and pretty platters ready for your guests to set out their delectable cookie concoctions.
Include an extra tray to collect cookies to be enjoyed during the party.
Turn your cookie exchange into a cookie gifting party. Set out gift tags, decorative treat bags, and lots of pretty ribbons. This will give your guests the chance to assemble gift bags for co-workers, neighbors, teachers and anyone they would love to give a delicious treat to.
Ask your guests to send their cookie recipes to you ahead of time. You can print them out on pretty sheets of paper and assemble homemade cookie recipe books - what a wonderful party favor!
A cookie exchange can be planned for any time of the day, but mornings are a great option. Plan your party as a delicious breakfast event, and allow your guests to have the remainder of the day to do other holiday activities.
Create a little light-hearted competition. Make up some fun categories (The Cookie Santa can't Refuse, Most Decorative Cookie, etc...), supply a couple of prizes, and then let your guests vote for the winners.
Have each guest share their favorite cookie baking stories or create some fun questions, ahead of time, for each guest answer at the party.