12 Days of Christmas Day- # 7

HOT COCOA BAR

I have been waiting all week for the Hot Cocoa Bar ideas.  I’m mad about them!  A hot cocoa bar is my number one favorite holiday party.  It’s a perfect buffet, a great starter for a holiday party, or the number one attraction for a holiday open house.  Hot cocoa bars have become staple at winter weddings for good reason, they’re a beautiful focal point that serves an important function–keeping your guests happy.  So grab a cup of your favorite cocoa and lets get started checking out these amazing Hot Cocoa Bars.

[bctt tweet=”Get 30+ Ideas for your next Hot Cocoa Bar” username=”@BlowingAway1990″]

Welcome to the third annual 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop!

Stop by every day from December first through the twelfth for new ideas you can use to make your season brighter!

Meet Your Hosts

They have all been busy as Elves creating, decorating, cooking and crafting tons of new ideas for you to try this holiday season!

Shirley~Intelligent Domestications I Alli~An Alli Event I Michelle~Our Crafty Mom I Marie~DIY Adulation 

Erlene~My Pinterventures I Beverly~Across The Blvd. I Debra~Shoppe No. 5 I Victoria~Dazzle While Frazzled

Megan~C’mon Get Crafty I Michelle~Michelle James Designs I Amanda~Domestically Creative

Deborah~Salvage Sister & Mister I Jeanie~Create & Babble I Sherry~Olives & Okra

Jenny~Cookies Coffee & Crafts I Emily~Domestic Deadline I Bonbon~Farmhouse 40 

Leanna~Of Faeries & Fauna I Pam Larmore~P.S. I Love You Crafts I Kelly~North Country Nest I Marie~The Inspiration Vault

Gail~Purple Hues and Me I Lynne~My Family Thyme I Karen~Dragonfly and Lily Pads I Trisha~Blowing Away Out West

Tomika~Life In Pumps I Rachee~Say it, “Rah-Shay” I Lorrin~Embrace The Perfect Mess 

 Serena~The Weekend Jaunts I Terri~Christmas Tree Lane I Jessica~A Southern Mother 

Sam~Raggedy Bits I Cyn~Creative Cynchronicity Valeria~Val Event Gal

Yami~The Latina Next Door I Tania~Little Vintage Cottage

 Lauren~Wonderfully Made I Vanessa~DIY 180 I Kimberly~A Wonderful Thought I Kim~Everyday Parties 

Dru~Polka Dot Poplars 

North Pole Hot Cocoa Bar – Party Ready

This year my kids were begging me for a hot cocoa bar.  They wanted something for a stop-in party, so their friends had a reason to drop-by.  It was a darn fine idea.  We’re all so busy this time of year trying to get something special that we forget to see our friends and family.  I’m guilty of spending hours wrapping gifts, only to deliver them by sending my kids running to the door while I sit in the car with it running so that I can check it off my to-do list.  Honestly, I’d much rather see my friends and family–and not from a car window.

And so the Hot Cocoa Bar magically appeared in our entry way.  I put it together while they were at school, and their delight reminded me of when they were little and finally got to sit on Santa’s lap.  They were thrilled!  A steady stream of teenagers has now graced our entry way, and I’m planning other parties so that Kevin and I can get in on the fun.

I was inspired by the idea of how hot chocolate manufactured at the North Pole would taste.  I thought about how it would be rich and creamy, and magical woodland animals would serve it to me with hot cookies.  That’s how the fictitious “North Pole Cookie & Cocoa Manufacturing Co.” was born.   I couldn’t wait to adorn our brand new entry way (you can read about that fun build in January), and the blank wall was ready for some brand new Christmas art depicting the North Pole Cookie & Cocoa Manufacturing Company.   Unfortunately for me, I didn’t catch my typo on the hot chocolate poster until after I had it printed, but it’s been fixed on the downloadable set.

Once I created the cute printable posters (or 8 x 10 prints or whatever size you like), I couldn’t stop.  I just had to make up some cute gift tags for baked goods, neighbor gifts and anything else you want to wrap up.  There’s four designs for the gift tags, the holly leaf, the pine cone, the blue spruce branch, and the North Pole Cookie & Cocoa Mfg. Co. logo.  I also wanted a set of circle stickers with the North Pole Cookie & Cocoa Mfg. Co logos to print on sticker paper to adorn mason jar hot cocoa and cookie mix gifts.

You’re probably wondering how I printed these amazing North Pole Cocoa & Cookie Mfg. Co. posters.  It was easy, and they only cost $5.89 each to print.  Here’s how:

These prints are 24″x 36″ color engineering prints from Staples.  Prices are subject to change, but as of today, you can get 24″x 36″ for $5.89, and 18″x 24″ for $2.99.  I upload my images to the Staples Print and Copy shop to have them printed in about a day.

Print Directions for the North Pole Cocoa & Cookie Mfg. Co Poster Size Prints:

• Purchase and Download the botanical prints from the Blowing Away Out West shop.
• Go to Staples.com
• Click shop services -> print services -> engineering prints -> pick the size of your frame -> design now -> engineering prints in color
• Click add files and upload the North Pole Cocoa & Cookie Manufacturing Co. images
• Click orientation -> portrait
• Click add to cart -> proceed to checkout.

If posters are too big for what you need, then you can print the images in a standard 8″x 10″ or 5″x 7″ sizes on your color printer at home.

Engineering prints are thin-about the same thickness as parchment paper.  While still sturdy enough that they won’t rip too easily, you won’t be able to hang them on the wall with a thumb tack like a normal poster. Staples also offers poster prints, but they’re more expensive.

Print Directions for the North Pole Cocoa & Cookie Mfg. Co Gift Tags:

• Download the images from the Blowing Away Out West shop.
• Print on 8 1/2″x 11″ card stock or standard copy paper from your home printer.

I hope you love the North Pole Cocoa & Cookie Mfg. Co printables.  I priced them so that you can download and print both posters for just over $15.  They’re so charming, and I tried to make it really easy to bring the magic of a hot cocoa bar to your home with great big posters.  If you don’t have that kind of room, the 8″ x 10″ size is just as cute next to a warm cup of hot chocolate.  I appreciate your support of this blog.  Deluxe printables from our shop help support all the freebies that we love to give away.

You know me, I really love freebies and so I couldn’t leave without giving you my free cocoa mix recipes!  If you want the pretty printable versions of these recipes, you can get them from our freebie library.  If you aren’t already a subscriber, why not?  You get access to free projects, printables, recipes and tutorials with new goodies added every week.  We love free stuff, and we’re betting you do too.  So show the sidebar some love and subscribe already.  We promise we won’t send you emails unless we want to share more free stuff with you.

• Chai Spiced Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

3/4 c. dry milk powder

1 c. cocoa (unsweetened)

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 c. dry powdered plain creamer

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp. allspice

3/4 tsp. nutmeg

Blend ingredients in a food processor until it’s a fine powder.  Makes about 3 1/2 cups of mix.

• Salted Gingerbread Hot Cocoa Mix Recipe

1/4 c. cocoa (unsweetened)

2 c. dry milk powder

1/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 c. dry powdered plain creamer

3/4 tsp. gingerbread spice

1 Tbs. sea salt

Blend ingredients in a food processor until it’s a fine powder.  Makes about 4 1/2 cups of mix.

Be sure to visit our fellow 12 Days of Christmas Bloggers below for even more creative ideas this holiday season!

If you’re enjoying the 12 Days of Christmas Blog Hop and you want more great things to do this Christmas season, #LightTheWorld is sharing a small act of kindness we can perform each day.  You can get a printable calendar, and share the video for day #7.