Hot Chocolate Station
I told you I couldn’t wait to set up a hot chocolate station on our new coffee bar! The yummiest drink in the winter is most certainly hot chocolate, but I’m also a chocoholic so I’m biased. It’s so warm, and creamy, and delicious, and I really want a cup right now!
Of course I had to decorate the coffee bar for Christmas too, so let’s have a look at that, before we get into detail about the Hot Chocolate Station.
Coffee Bar Decor
Decorating the coffee bar was pretty simple really. I added garland across the top, and allowed it to drape down the side. For a little more flare, I added a set of brass bells and a bow. Now it ties into the rest of our Christmas decorations downstairs! It would have been perfect to leave it at that, but I found a set of battery operated Christmas lights from Target last year, in storage, while looking for our Santa mugs for the hot chocolate station. Turns out that they are the perfect length to string across the bottom of the shelving. What luck! Visually we have a lot going on already on the open shelving, so I decided to keep my decor simple by only adding a few pieces to the mix. A wooden tree, a couple of deer ornaments, and extra Santa mugs complete the scene perfectly.
Hot Chocolate Station
Are hot chocolate stations cute? I’ve seen so many on social media, and have always wanted to include one in my house, and this is the year I get my wish! Here’s a list of the things I used to put together our coffee bar.
- Hot Chocolate (K-Cups, Powder, Packets, Hot Chocolate Bombs and Stir Sticks. Choose your favorite, or have a variety to meet everyone’s individual taste.)
- Display Tray (Trays are fun to display your containers on, but they also work to provide a dedicated space for your station.)
- Containers for toppings. (Glass containers are preferable so you can see the contents. Otherwise I suggest labeling them. Closed tops are also preferable if you plan to have this out for days, as opposed to a party, in which you may want to use open containers for ease of use.)
- Mugs (Santa, holiday themed, or your favorite mugs. You can’t go wrong with this. For a more festive look, you may want to use a themed mug, but again it’s all up to your personal preference.)
- Napkins
- Stir Sticks
- Toppings & Accessories ( Consider what your family likes to eat. What’s their favorite flavored drinks, cookies, etc. Buy toppings according to that. No need to get a bunch of toppings nobody wants just to make it look cute. I know, so many are guilty of that just to “get the look”.)
Hot Chocolate Toppings
Whipped Cream
Marshmallows
(Make your own marshmallows, or buy store bought. They are a delicious addition to any hot chocolate.)
Morsels
( These come in a variety of flavors! We chose to use cinnamon, butterscotch, and chocolate, but there are so many more! )
Sprinkles
(Peppermint, Red & White, Candy Cane shaped, Gingerbread shaped. Sprinkles come in different flavors, colors, and shapes. Choose what makes you happy!)
Stir Sticks
(Candy Canes, Chocolate/Marshamallow Sticks, Pirouettes. You can find a ton of ideas on Pinterest on how to make your own if you want to have a little more fun.)
Syrups & Sauce
(For added flavor, choose syrups and sauce! Vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, strawberry, hazelnut…the list goes on.)
I’m wishing you a wonderful holiday season, friend! Take care!
-Iris
UPDATED LINKS (2023)
Keurig and Hot Chocolate K-Cups