New Year’s party includes cookie contest

WASHINGTON — An oldfashioned New Year's Tea Party and Cookie Contest will be held in the Wykeham Room of the Gunn Memorial Library, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Jan. 5. The snow date is Jan. 8, 4-6 p.m.

Visitors will gather under the historic 1914 gilded ceiling mural by H. Siddons Mowbray in a festively decorated Wykeham Room. The museum will have Washington photo albums out for guests to browse. Bring a teacup and the library will provide tea and sandwiches. Registration is requested; email your name(s) to info@gunnhistoricalmuseum.org or call 860-868-7586.

One of the highlights of the tea is the return of the Cookie Contest. The contest will give bakers an opportunity to have their culinary creations judged by professionals. Cookies should be homemade and baked by the contestant. Cookies will be judged in the following categories: most creative, best tasting, most festive, most original, baked by children under 16, and best overall.

Young bakers (ages 10-16) are encouraged to enter the cookie contest and compete in any of the categories. Youngsters can enjoy a hot cocoa bar, rounds of cookie bingo, a blind Oreo taste test and a cookie decorating station.

Those interested in participating should pre-register by calling the library or signing up at the front desk. Entrants should submit three dozen cookies at least half an hour before the event.

The Gunn Memorial Library is located at 5 Wykeham Road/Route 47 on the Green, in Washington.