How’s your Christmas shopping going? Did you finish already? Do you still need to buy items for Christmas stockings? If you are searching for fun Christmas stocking filler ideas, check out the following.
Christmas Eve is just around the corner! Are you hosting a Christmas Eve gathering at your house this year? Or do you want to start a new Christmas Eve tradition for your family? Set up a hot cocoa bar. Creating a festive and delightful hot cocoa bar for Christmas Eve can be fun for everyone. If you are searching for inspiration for your Christmas Eve hot cocoa bar, consider the following ideas.
Hot Cocoa Varieties
Classic Hot Chocolate: Rich and creamy traditional hot cocoa is a classic. Use your crock pot to keep the hot cocoa warm throughout the evening.
White Hot Chocolate: Made with white chocolate for a sweet twist.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Add a splash of peppermint extract to your hot cocoa for a festive flavor.
Spiced Hot Chocolate: Incorporate spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or chili powder for a warming kick.
Toppings and Mix-Ins
Marshmallows: Offer different types like mini, jumbo, flavored, or homemade marshmallows. Many supermarkets carry holiday-themed marshmallows too.
Whipped Cream: Provide regular and flavored whipped creams like vanilla or peppermint.
Chocolate Chips: Dark, milk, and white chocolate chips to sprinkle on top.
Caramel Sauce: Drizzle over the top for extra sweetness.
Crushed Candy Canes: Add a peppermint crunch.
Cinnamon Sticks: For stirring and adding a subtle spice.
Sprinkles: Festive holiday-themed sprinkles for a colorful touch.
Coconut Flakes: Add a tropical twist.
Toffee Bits: Add a bit of crunch and caramel flavor.
Flavored Syrups: Vanilla, hazelnut, and caramel syrups.
Serving Accessories
Mugs: Festive holiday mugs or personalized mugs for each guest.
Spoons and Stirrers: Decorative spoons, wooden stir sticks, or candy cane stirrers.
Labels: Cute labels or chalkboard signs to identify each topping and cocoa variety.
Napkins: Christmas-themed napkins are a must for a hot cocoa bar setup.
Extra Touches
Cookie Platter: Offer a wide selection of Christmas cookies to pair with the cocoa concoctions.
Cocoa Mixes: Provide jars or packets of different cocoa mixes for guests to take home.
Christmas Music: Play festive Christmas music in the background to set the festive mood.
Decorations: Decorate the bar area with fairy lights, garlands, and ornaments. Depending on your budget or the number of guests, provide extra hot cocoa-themed ornaments to take home. For example, decorate a wooden mug-shaped ornament with Christmas embellishments and add your party details, “Hot Cocoa Extravaganza 2024” or “Smith’s 1st Hot Cocoa Party.”
Photo Props: Set up a small photo booth with Christmas props for fun pictures. Share your photos on social media or create a family scrapbook of your new hot cocoa tradition.
Do you want to kick off a new Christmas tradition? How about creating a Christmas smash journal to gather all your festive season ideas and essentials? If you need a little inspiration, here are some creative Christmas smash journal ideas to get you started.
Please note: “As an Amazon affiliate, I earn income from qualifying purchases.”
Holiday Bucket List: Dedicate a page to a Christmas bucket list. Include things like visiting a Christmas market. Add activities such as watching classic holiday movies or baking cookies.
Gift List & Wrapping: Create a section for gift ideas. Include wishlists for loved ones. Add photos or drawings of gift-wrapping inspiration.
Christmas Recipes: Add recipe cards or printouts of your favorite holiday treats. Also include photos of the finished dishes.
Decor Inspiration: Collect images or draw sketches of Christmas decoration ideas for your home, tree, or outdoor spaces.
Christmas Playlist: List your favorite holiday songs and leave space to jot down memories associated with each one.
Holiday Memories: Include photos, and ticket stubs, or write about special moments from past Christmases.
Christmas Cards: Save and attach any Christmas cards you get, or create your own mini-cards within the journal.
Advent Calendar: Design an advent calendar within the journal. Each day should reveal a small doodle, sticker, or a Christmas-themed quote.
Family Traditions: Document your family’s Christmas traditions, like decorating the tree, opening presents, or attending church.
Christmas Eve Plans: Plan out your Christmas Eve. Start with dinner menus. Choose activities like watching “The Polar Express” or reading “The Night Before Christmas.”
Wish Upon a Star: Write down your hopes and wishes for the coming year. You can use a starry background or stickers.
Christmas Crafts: Include instructions or photos of DIY Christmas crafts you’ve made or want to try.
Holiday Outfit Planner: Sketch or paste pictures of your planned Christmas outfits, from cozy pajamas to festive party wear.
Hot Cocoa Bar: Design a page around ideas for your Christmas Eve hot cocoa bar, including recipes and topping ideas.
Christmas Countdown: Create a countdown to Christmas. Use a different design or theme for each day leading up to the 25th.
These ideas can be mixed and matched to create a unique and personalized Christmas smash journal
Is this the first time hearing the word Christingle? Are you asking yourself, “what exactly is a Christingle?” Well, before you start searching, continue reading about the long-standing history of Christingle.
Christingle is a symbolic way to celebrate the Christian faith. Dating back to the mid-1700s, Christingle was part of a German worship service. Representing Jesus bringing light to the world, John de Watteville, a minister, gave each child a lighted candle with a red ribbon.
In the late 1960s, Christingles became popular in England. Generally, Christingle services are held the week before or part of Christmas Eve services. Due to the pandemic, Christmas 2020 is going to be different. But you and your family can try new things. Making a Christingle is a wonderful new tradition to begin.
How to Make a Christingle
Are you wondering how to make a Christingle? The activity is simple; however, each piece has a specific meaning.
List of Needed Items
I used the candy that I had on hand.
Orange: The base of the Christingle is an orange or tangerine representing the whole world.
White Candle: Standing tall and straight, the white candle represents God giving light to the world.
Red Ribbon: Tying the ribbon around the orange represents the blood of Jesus and dying on the cross.
Four Skewers or Toothpicks: The four toothpicks represent North, South, East, and West. They also represent the four changing seasons. If you use skewers, you can fit more pieces of fruit and candy on to your stick.
Pieces of Dried Fruits: In addition to dried fruit, you can use nuts, miniature marshmallows, and sweets. The items represent the fruits of the Earth.
In addition to the list above, you will need tin foil. The tinfoil is a precautionary measure to prevent the dripping candle wax from getting into the orange’s interior.
Next, you start the task of creating your own Christingle. Younger children will need help with the first step. Slicing the top of your orange makes a hole large enough to fit your white candle’s base. Before pushing the candle down into the orange, cover the opening with foil.
When your base is complete, set aside. Now begin to place the dried fruits or other sweets onto the skewers. Repeat this step four times.
Place the candy, dried fruits, marshmallows, or nuts on to the skewers.
Now, push the four skewers into the orange. Place the skewers on each side to create a balanced appearance. Finally, wrap your piece of red ribbon around the orange and tie it into a bow. Congratulations on finishing your first Christingle.
I sat my Christingle on top of a Mason jar while I worked on it.
Staying close to home for the holidays is the time to do family crafts. Have fun making Christingles. Light the candles to take a photo in front of your tree on Christmas Eve. (Always practice safety procedures when using candles).
Make extras to give away. Just remember, do not cut the hole into the orange until you are ready to give your Christingle to the intended person.
Did you recently hear the word Christingle? Do you know the meaning? Christingle is a symbolic way to celebrate the Christian faith. Dating back to the mid-1700s, Christingle was part of a German worship service. The minister gave the children a lighted candle with a red ribbon.
In the late 1960s, Christingles became popular in England. Generally, Christingle services are held the week before or part of Christmas Eve services. Making a Christingle is simple. However, each piece has a specific meaning.
Items Needed:
I used the candy that I had on hand.
Orange: The base of the Christingle is an orange or tangerine representing the whole world.
White Candle: Standing tall and straight, the white candle represents God giving light to the world.
Red Ribbon: Tying the ribbon around the orange, represents the blood of Jesus and dying on the cross.
Four Skewers or Toothpicks: The four toothpicks represent North, South, East, and West. They also represent the four changing seasons.
Pieces of Dried Fruits: In addition to dried fruit, you can use nuts, miniature marshmallows, and sweets. The items represent the fruits of the Earth.
Along with the above items, you will need tin foil. The foil is only to prevent the wax of the candle getting into the orange.
Making the Christingle is simple. Slice the top of the orange. Make the hole large enough to fit the base of your candle. Before setting the candle into the orange, cover the opening with foil.
Place the dried fruits or other sweets on to the skewers.
Place the candy, dried fruits, marshmallows, or nuts on to the skewers.
Push the four skewers into the orange. Finally, wrap the red ribbon around the orange and tie.
I sat my Christingle on top of a Mason jar while I worked on it.
Congratulations, you have made your first Christingle. Consider making extras to give away. Just do not cut the hole into the orange until you are ready to give it to the intended person.
