A hot chocolate bar in five minutes

You could find some pretty elaborate set ups for a hot chocolate bar if you searched Pinterest. That isn’t quite how I roll, though. I need something that can be whipped together fast because I remembered that today was “open hot chocolate bar day” just five minutes before heading out the door to pick kids up from school.

I didn’t really expect my kids to be so enthralled with the idea of a hot chocolate bar, but it’s become a fun little tradition that they look forward to each year. So! Here’s how to set up your own hot chocolate bar (in five minutes).

Supplies needed

• A caddy, tin, or tray. I found this caddy at Hobby Lobby one year. If you happen to have a silverware caddy already just put a Christmas ribbon on it and use what you have. It doesn’t have to be fancy–the board you use for charcuterie would work too! You are just looking for a way to corral everything into a little station.
• Mugs. We’ve had a hot chocolate bar for years, and one year I added cute Santa mugs for fun. Your mugs don’t have to match. You could use any Christmas mug (or really any mug) you already have. (I would recommend a small mug, though.
• Hot Chocolate Mix. I use powdered Swiss Miss. (I told you I’m not Pinterest-y). You could certainly use a favorite recipe of yours, but due to my five minute prep time, Swiss Miss it is!
• Mini Marshmallows. Swiss Miss works for hot chocolate powder, but the dehydrated marshmallows need a boost from the real thing.
• Sprinkles. I use whatever we have on hand that is red, green, gold, silver, or a variation of something “Christmas”. Chocolate jimmies are cute, too!
• Mini Candy Canes. They double as stir sticks and I appreciate the smaller dose of sugar.
• Jars (with lids) for holding everything. I use what we already have on hand: mini mason jars. They look uniform, fit in my caddy well, and my cupboard is already full of them.
• Napkins. This is probably the fussiest part of the entire chocolate bar. Sometimes I have cute napkins, sometimes I don’t put any out. I raid the paper goods section of our garage storage and see what I can find. The Target Dollar Spot often has cute ones this time of year if you happen to snag some while you are already out. If not, I can guarantee that no child will be upset that you don’t have festive napkins.

Prepping your hot chocolate bar

Five minutes before you leave to pick up your kids from school, gather all of your supplies. Assemble them in your caddy or set everything on a nice cutting board on your counter. Put the hot chocolate mix in a jar with a lid. Stuff the mini candy canes into another. Measure out the amount of mini marshmallows you want your kids to consume that day and put it in another. Place your sprinkles in your caddy and place your napkins close by. Set your mugs out and add a few spoons.

And: done! A cute little hot chocolate bar using (mostly) things found around your home that you put together in five minutes. You won’t be late for the pick up line and a fun surprise will be waiting for your kids when you walk in the door!

December Mix

When it comes to diffuser blends, I tend to find a combination that I love and then shamelessly fill my diffuser with the same thing for basically the entire month. Kind of like a good playlist. You too? Then this is the only “mix” (see what I did there?) you need this month.

All three of these oils are considered “happy” or “balancing” oils—oils that are designed to elevate our mood. Citrus oils are a great way to give your body a boost as the long, dark days of winter creep in. The added scent of Christmas Spirit gives this blend a little spice to balance out the bright citrus. Festive and cozy–give this blend a try and let me know what you think! Or, if you have a favorite winter candle you are ready to ditch? Let me help you find a good substitution to create that same smell with your diffuser!

Pop over here if you are new to Young Living and want to get started diffusing this month or, if you want a pretty version of my December Mix to share with a friend, download it here.

Snippets from our week

Annual sleepover by the Christmas Tree.

Most magical time of year at the most magical place! It’s been fun to be back at Disneyland during the Christmas season.

Thanks for reading! Do you have a hot chocolate bar, too? I’d love to hear about it. Just hit reply if you’d like to respond. (When you hit reply, your message goes directly to my email. It’s a private conversation between just us.) I read all your messages and try to respond, but not always in a timely manner. Sorry! And if you enjoyed this email, you’d be doing me a favor by forwarding it to someone else who might like it.