The two Cs. Christmas. And cookies. They just go together.

But for many of us, the days are gone when we had the time or the money to bake multiple batches of different cookies.

Enter the cookie exchange party; give a cookie, take a cookie.

Here's how to organize one, and then I'll share a cookie recipe:

  Invite guests by phone or e-mail; you've only got two weekends left, yikes! (Ideally, you'd have done this a month ago, but it's not too late to bring a few friends together casually or put it in your tickler file to do next year.) It's usual to do these mid-morning on a Saturday, but pick a time that works for your friendship group.

• Ask invitees to RSVP immediately with the recipe of the cookie they plan to bring to the party. Make copies of those recipes for everyone at the party.

• Set up your own rules for the exchange — most such parties require that cookies be homemade and not shortcut (no mixes) and set the minimum number of cookies to bring. Some folks even have cookie competitions.

• Strategy question: Smaller group, fewer cookie varieties, more cookies per person? Or larger group, more cookie varieties, fewer cookies per person? Your call.

• As host, plan to bake some cookies "just for eating." Or provide some sugar respite: cheese and crackers, spiced nuts, a seasonal beverage. Or you can go all out and serve a lunch.

• Prepare the house: You need a large table or long counter for displaying the cookies. Cake stands or tiered tea trays help conserve space. Christmas music is a nice touch.

• Remind guests to bring a plastic container or airtight tins in which to pack up their cookies. Be sure to have some plastic bags, wrap and paper plates on hand for those who forget.

• The party can be a strictly social time. Or it can be a "get-something-done" event to which everyone brings their own gift tags, gift bags, wrap and ribbons and chats while they pack up cookie gifts for their social and family circle. You can have a Secret Santa gift exchange, play games or other activities.

• For more on cookie exchanges, go to www.cookie-exchange.com; www.about.com (go to entertaining and search for cookie exchange); www.allrecipes.com.

Here, we've married a couple of recipes and adapted them a bit. From "Favorite Island Cookery," by the Honpa Hongwanji folks, comes a vanilla cookie (and, yes, it does call for a tablespoon of vanilla; use the best you can afford). If you really want a vanilla hit, plunge a vanilla bean into the brown sugar and allow it to infuse for a day or two, tightly closed, then flavor the glaze with the seeds from the vanilla bean (slit bean lengthwise, scrape out seeds with back of knife).

These cookies yield a slightly crisp crumb and mild caramel-butterscotch-vanilla flavor.

The icing is one I use on my kabocha pumpkin cookies (published here May 13, 2009). I like this glaze, which must be brushed on the cookies while they're still warm, because it hardens enough to cling to the cookie but doesn't become rock hard like royal icing. It can be colored with a few drops of food coloring. It's delicious with the addition of some citrus or vanilla bean seeds.

FROSTED CHRISTMAS COOKIES