Cookies good enough to give as a gift. Walk in the door and smell Christmas.

The members of the Newark First United Methodist Church, 301 South Main St., are busy preparing for their 17th annual Christmas Cookie Sale to be held Saturday, Dec. 14th.  Some refer to this as “the premier Christmas Cookie sale in Wayne County”. The sale starts at 10 am (people are lining up an hour before that) and runs until sold out, usually around 11:30 am.

For 17 years, the church has opened its doors in mid-December to sell over 300 dozen cookies baked by 60+ cooks, all of whom follow the emphasis to offer gourmet cookies, lovingly decorated and beautifully arranged.  Everyone has a favorite recipe, and this sale emphasizes real butter, real sugar, and the most festive cookies. They also include some gluten free.

On Saturday, customers take the trip down the steps to the large dining room, and walk into the aromas of sugar, spice, almond, gingerbread, chocolate…Christmas. They are handed a baker’s box and vinyl gloves and the choosing begins. Folks move slowly along the U-shaped tables, picking up Christmas favorites and filling their boxes. When the box is full, it is weighed to determine cost. The cookies sell for $8 a pound; $9 a pound for gluten free.

The church uses the proceeds from the sale for the work of the church, such as sending local kids to Camp Casowasco in Moravia, NY, and other mission work.  For further information, call the church office at 315-331-3895.