Polish Princess Cookie Exchange

And a mash-up Polish feast with cousins by the dozen

Nov 17, 2025

Eleven varieties of cookies from the Polish Princess party. Some, like the pizelles, didn’t travel so well.

The hard part of living out west for the past seven years was not being able to see my siblings and take part in family functions. This weekend I made up for some lost opportunities by traveling to Belmont, Ohio with my sisters to a cousin’s annual cookie exchange with a Polish theme.

Jodi McFarland hosts the gathering every year with help from her nearby cousins, Kelly and Jamie, daughters of our cousin Barb. Jodi’s energy is remarkable, but anyone who lives on an extensive horse ranch and teaches math at the nearby Belmont College is used to wrangling details. Jodi was simultaneously greeting arriving guests, setting up two slushie machines with adult beverages, arranging hot food on the buffet in the kitchen, uncovering hors d’oeuvres on the dining room table, and herding the excited sheep dogs that wanted in if they were out or out if they were in.

Jodi gives the slushie machine a talking to--and it worked. The apple cider and caramel vodka slushie was a treat. The appetizers are nestled on the table in a Polish pottery display to rival Sur la Table.

People arrived with six/seven dozen cookies for the exchange, as well as a tree ornament for a gift swap. Folks were also delivering hot food for lunch. Family favorites were the order of the day--haluski, pork and sauerkraut, pierogies, Aunt Sophie’s meatballs made by her daughter Becky, stuffed pepper soup, Buffalo chicken dip—so there were drop-off points around the expansive room for each delivered item. Roasted beet salad, broccoli salad, macaroni salad, roasted peppers, and a big bowl of mixed greens created the salad peninsula. There was food all over the place, including a separate dessert bar with pumpkin pie and raspberry pie, and a cookie tower to distract from the stacked containers of cookies for the exchange.

Buffalo Chicken Dip, Aunt Sophie's Meatballs, a Hoagie Ring, Pierogies, Pork and Sauerkraut, Stuffed Pepper Soup and also Haluski that must have been in the oven when I snapped these right before lunch.

Desserts for after lunch. The Raspberry Pie is missing and it was delicious.

The party started at 11, giving everyone an hour to settle in before lunch at noon. The food was delicious and inexhaustible.

After lunch we strolled Memory Lane, led by Cousins Barb and Sandy who brought photo albums. Some opted to play cards in the living room by the tree or play games led by Helen.

After we all ate, and ate, and ate, we broke into small groups to play cards and other games. Cousin Barb and Cousin Sandy brought photo albums filled with vintage photos of our forebears. Sandy also had pictures of Anna Shinoski’s family, those who remained in Poland, and she said how very gracious they were to her when she visited last year. Someone turned on the music, and polkas started playing, prompting spontaneous clapping and dancing.

Jodi managed to get everyone outside, poolside, for a photo, and even the dogs cooperated.

Uncle Joe, the patriarch of the Shinoski clan, is surrounded by his relations, including his wife Mary Jo, center, and their daughter Jodi and granddaughter Madison (both holding the dogs.)

The ornament exchange took place at the dining room table, and we gathered around and followed Chelsea's instructions, who read a right-left version of The Night Before Christmas that cued us to pass the gifts around the table.

The ornament exchange was a fun way to swap keepsakes but was outdone by Becky's contribution of a hand-decorated, commemorative Christmas ornament for each participant. Thank you, Becky!

As the sun was going down, we set out the cookies, and everyone picked six of each variety to pack up and take home. Containers that were quickly depleted were replaced until everyone had filled what they had brought to deliver their cookies in.

This is why I’m glad to be back. Not for the cookies, so much, though that is a bonus. But to connect with my tribe, to celebrate where we are from, and to keep a tradition alive for the next generation of Polish Princesses.