***A bit of blogkeeping: Congratulations to Jessica Z. (Comment #75), randomly-selected winner of my blogiversary giveaway of gift cards to the Capitol Theatre, Spice Kitchen and Bar, and Sweet Moses. Please check your email and respond by the end of the day or a new winner will be chosen. Thanks to those who entered for all the blogiversary wishes!***

On Monday night, a group of Cleveland bloggers gathered to celebrate the season and swap Christmas cookies and beer at the Ohio Blogging Association holiday party.

I was happy to host the event, as I love having people over, especially during the holidays! By combining forces with Mom, we had a spread of appetizers for some savory sustenance before the sweets.

There were lots of tasty cookies for the swap! Two of my favorites were the Vanilla Bean Shortbread from “blog groupie” Michelle and the Mexican hot chocolate chip cookies from Julie.

I tried out a new recipe for the swap: Cranberry Orange Oat Cookies. I was pleased with the moist, chewy cookies, made with rolled oats from Fresh Fork Market.

It was Matthew’s idea to add a holiday beer swap to the party this year and people really loved the idea! There were lots of great craft beers for swapping.

Matthew was pleased with the haul he got! I’m hoping he saves some for me for this summer!

As always, it was great catching up with all the blogger folks, some of whom I see often and some not often enough!

Stay tuned to the Ohio Blogging Facebook page for another meetup in February. Here are the bloggers who attended the holiday party:

Alicia from Poise in Parma

Amanda and Scott from Clue Into Cleveland

Holly from Holly Hammersmith Blog

Jessica from Go Run Jess

Jimi from From the Cheap Seats

Julie from ROJ Running

Kat from The Girl I Mean to Be

Katie from Call Me Trouble

Kimberly and Chris from Smitten…in Cleveland

Kristian from Ohio Festivals and man*gi*am*oh

Lane and Nathan from Lane Baldwin Photography

Lindsay from Inaccurate and Unreliable

Michelle – “blog groupie”

Sarah from Our Journey

Tammy from Miss WineOH

Thanks to everyone who attended! I love having our house filled with good friends, good food, and good cheer!