🎄 12 Days of Cookies: How McCook’s Cafeteria Team Spreads Holiday Joy — One Cookie at a Time
- Anna LaBay
- Dec 25, 2025
- 2 min read
McCOOK Neb.— Every December, something magical happens behind the scenes at McCook Public Schools.
Throughout the school day, trays of freshly baked cookies roll out of the cafeteria kitchens — more than 1,000 cookies every single day — all part of a tradition lovingly known as the “12 Days of Cookies.”
Tammy Fawver, Director of Nutrition Services for Opaa! Food Management, has been leading the effort for nine years. During that time, the Opaa! team has baked and served more than 108,000 cookies for students and staff as part of this special holiday tradition.
It’s a full-staff operation and a treasured ritual for both students and school employees.
“We’ve been doing this since my first year,” Fawver said. “It’s a lot of work — but seeing the kids’ faces makes every minute worth it.”
🍪 108,000 Cookies of Christmas Cheer
The numbers alone are impressive:
• 1,000 cookies per day
• 12 days each December
• Over 9 years
• That’s more than 108,000 cookies baked, frosted, and handed out — completely free to students and staff, with the cost covered by Opaa! Foods.
And these aren’t just plain cookies.
Some days it’s sugar cookies swirled with green frosting and sprinkles. Other days it’s peanut butter blossoms — the kind with the Hershey’s Kiss pressed in the center.
Those, Fawver admits, are the toughest.
“I’ve tried to find unwrapped Hershey Kisses,” she laughed. “No luck. So when we do those, it means hand-unwrapping a thousand kisses.”
🎶 Why Day Five Has to Be Snickerdoodles
There’s also a tradition inside the tradition.
On the fifth day, it must be snickerdoodles — because the cafeteria staff often sings “The 12 Days of Cookies,” and that’s the only cookie that works in the song for day five.
Sometimes the treats aren’t cookies at all. Over the years they’ve also made rice crispy treats, brownies, and various dessert bars.
Planning for the event usually begins in November, and when it’s time to serve, it takes about 15 minutes each day to get every cookie into students’ hands.
❤️More Than a Treat
For Fawver, the tradition isn’t really about baking. It’s about relationships.
“We see these kids every day — year after year,” she said. “You build bonds with them. That’s why I think we have such good employee retention. Our staff stays because of the kids.”
The cafeteria team doesn’t just serve food — they serve connection. During the holidays, they dress up as elves, wear pajamas on spirit days, and lean fully into whatever theme the school is celebrating.
“The excitement on the kids’ faces — that’s what makes all the work worth it,” Fawver said.
🎄 A Gift from the Heart of McCook
In a season that can feel rushed or overwhelming, the 12 Days of Cookies stands as a quiet reminder of what the holidays are really about — generosity, kindness, and the people who show up every day to make life a little sweeter.
And for more than 108,000 cookies and counting, the Opaa! Foods cafeteria team has
done exactly that
Photos courtesy of McCook Schools Food Service- Opaa! Food Management’s Facebook page. Follow them here:
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