It's no secret that we love hot cocoa at our home and from the moment the first chill begins I set up a cocoa bar for all of us plus all the people who pop in to see us. For weeks now I have been making cocoa for my daughter and our carpool. I make two cups of cocoa for the girls and our son gets a vanilla latte as they all head out the door. Since it is now December I changed the bar to be 100% Christmas and now I just think the hot cocoa tastes even better. It is so fun for me to gather up some of our favorites + some new things and set up a station which I know will bring us all so many warm and yummy moments. 🤶
Setting up a hot cocoa station is so much easier than you would think and the moment you start gathering the excitement begins. I use some of the same things every single year and then I also play around and get some new things each year. For us we use our Keurig (which we really love) + K Cups for cocoa and then get all sorts of creative with toppings. We all like it different so this year's cocoa bar has all sorts of options. The kids prefer Swiss Miss and I buy all three varieties ... Milk Chocolate, Peppermint, and Sugar Free. I told you ... we all like our cocoa the way we like it! 😉
I have had these glass containers for a number of years and each year I add different toppings inside. It is always some sort of marshmallow, sprinkles and candy mix and this year seems to be a huge hit. Something about the shaped containers feels almost like an old fashioned candy store to me. I love buying fun marshmallows and I always snag more than one kind. When one kind is good, two is the best! Over the years I have learned that Target has one of the best little selections so I usually check out their stash first and then if I am still needing items I head to World Market for their goodies. Honestly, this is one of my favorite things to set up for the holidays. I feel like hot cocoa is just so much fun to serve and, of course, to drink!
This year I added a small gingerbread house to the mix. I have never decorated a gingerbread house on my own and it was so fun to sit down and get creative. I love using the icing, sugaring the roof and adding sprinkles for lights ... I mean, wow, no wonder the kids love making these!
We always have candy canes on the bar to stir cocoa and well, just because. For me having a candy cane in my cocoa makes it even more of a Hallmark movie moment. I put mine in a pretty vase or pitcher which just adds some character and some color. I love using pitchers to decorate and as small vases and containers.
Of course, you need some fun mugs and napkins. Our napkins aren't new but this darling mug is and was so fun to add to my cart. They had both gingerbread mugs and Santa mugs and I should have snagged both of them. You know I have a soft spot for mugs!
Set up a hot cocoa bar for yourself and your family in your home. It is just the most fun and is the best way to host others when they come in the house. For us it most definitely helps with the cold mornings to have a fun cup of hot cocoa to start your day. I will take mine with Peppermint hot cocoa and a huge marshmallow with sprinkles please, and thank you! Oh, and even better ... can you serve it to me in my Ember mug so it stays hot? 💓
Cheers ... and cocoa!
Images by Angie Webb Creative
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