One of our co-workers told us that when she was growing up, her father put a lollipop tree in the front yard every holiday with a sign that said, “Please take ONE.” It was just a simple piece of chicken wire, bent into a cone shape and covered with green plastic, but it was a huge hit with the neighborhood. Her dad taped individually wrapped lollipops to the plastic, and the kids (and their parents) came from all over town to get their treat.
Times have changed, and we wouldn’t suggest putting a tree with treats in your front yard anymore, but we did love the idea of creating a cookie tree for a holiday party. Go small with a Styrofoam tree from your local crafts store or go big with a chicken-wire and green felt or plastic model like our friend’s father did; you’re only limited by your imagination. Then, use hat pins, double-sided tape, or green masking tape to secure our individually wrapped cookies to the tree and invite everyone to help themselves. We bet you’ll be the favorites in your neighborhood, too!
