Let Them Eat Cookies

Let Them East Cookies

By Maureen Bonatch

While growing up in western Pennsylvania, the best thing about a wedding was a cookie table. Family members would begin baking (or buying) cookies to freeze in advance because you have to have enough cookies for the guests, and many guests plan to take some home with them. Some wedding receptions even supplied baggies on the table as they knew the guests would abscond with the cookies. 

Kids + Cookies = Sugar Overload 

Granted, at that time, a wedding reception was often held in a fire hall or other reception area. It was the perfect environment for kids to run amuck once indulging in way too many cookies and other sugary confections. When I got married, I gave instructions to ensure that I got a few of my favorite confections because even the bride could be deprived if the cookies were that good. 

Over the years, those types of weddings seem to come around few and far between. Many request that it be an adults-only reception or choose to have their wedding at an exotic location. Therefore, when an opportunity presented itself to take my twin daughters to an old-fashioned wedding reception when they were two years old, my sleep-deprived brain thought this was a good idea—even though my husband could not attend. Sure, it would be fine! 

Sure, they were amazed by the gowns in the church, but by the time we got to the reception, their limited attention span had run out. Once they spotted the glorious cookie table, it was impossible to resist. Little fingers wanted to touch all those delicious confections! 

Reflection has helped me understand why many receptions may have moved to adult-only or exotic islands. 

Familiar Traditions 

I also realized later in life that everybody wasn’t familiar with the cookie table tradition (that and the bridal dance where you pay to dance with the bride for a piece of cake or a shot of alcohol). 

Well, whether you grew up with the cookie-table wedding tradition or not, most people love to bake cookies over the holidays. I know that it’s a tradition with my daughters every year. 

But who needs an excuse to eat cookies? Not me. 

Are You Familiar with the Cookie Table? 

*Blog previously featured on Paranormal Romantics Blog 

© 2024 Maureen Bonatch All Rights Reserved Maureen Bonatch believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and caffeine and wine are essential for survival. When she’s not doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, she’s a mom to twin daughters, exploring the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby and dancing as much as possible. She writes paranormal cozy mysteries as M.L. Bonatch, paranormal romance and other genres as Maureen Bonatch, and her latest urban fantasy will be as Amber Wrath. http://www.maureenbonatch.com/