HOW TO MAKE A HOT COCOA BAR WITH LANDS END

Can you believe it is November 24th?! It’s a busy but exciting week for us here, Andrew’s birthday is this week and let’s not forget about Thanksgiving. Since all things look a little different this year, we wanted to implement some traditions in our home that would lift our spirits. Growing up, we always had hot cocoa while we decorated the tree. It was something that I can still smell, taste and have the fondest memories of! So, I wanted to share how to build a cocoa bar using my favorite peppermint goodies from Lands’ End. I also have a major discount code for you, 50% off your Lands’ End purchase now through 12/15 with code “ELSA”! So, I also wanted to share some gifts and personal favorites in case you wanted to shop. 

A good hot cocoa day at home consists of a few core parts: a great cocoa bar, cozy and festive outfits, and lots of love. The key in making a hot cocoa bar delicious is all the fixings. The key to making it cute, is a nice balance of color and various heights in the presentation. As for feeling cozy, in my opinion, the answer is a great red or green sweater, keeping you festive but comfy while at home. I love mine, the split neck turtleneck is so cute and the proportions are so well done for curves (comes in regular and plus). 

A hot cocoa bar is the easiest thing because all you need to do is assemble! First, you want to have your tabletop and serving pieces. I put a cute plaid tablecloth down, some festive napkins, a large tray, a few smaller bowls and plates, and of course some mugs! I added height by putting a cute little tree on the tray, as well as some cocoa sticks and peppermint canes in a mug. The height makes things more interesting, less flat (literally and figuratively), and creates a nice little dialogue and flow amongst the pieces. Otherwise, it just looks like a tray of snacks! 

For the food itself, I built everything around Lands’ End peppermint cookies and their peppermint bark. These both lasted about .5 seconds in our house, honestly they are so delicious, and I just ordered more lol. They would make a great gift too because the presentation feels like they are straight from the North Pole! I also had classic hot cocoa, some marshmallows, white and dark chocolate chips, cinnamon and chocolate sauce (not pictured). 

Everything you’ll need for a cocoa bar: 

• Mugs 
• Tray and a few small bowls and plates 
• Festive tablecloth and napkins 
• Hot cocoa powder 
• Peppermint cookies 
• Peppermint bark 
• Marshmallows
• Chocolate chips
• Cinnamon and toppings 
• Candy Canes for height and to enjoy 
• Whimsical decor for height (ornaments in a small vase for height, works too!) 

There you have it! So simple and so cute. Lands’ End makes everything really easy for the holidays, because it is a one stop shop. I will be doing a more comprehensive gift guide from them in a couple of weeks, but wanted to share some of my favorite pieces with you now. These will be great for a hot cocoa bar, for gifts, or for being cozy at home!

Remember code “ELSA” FOR 50% OFF your purchase now through 12/15!

MY FAVORITE GIFTS FOR HER, HIM & HOME

Thank you Lands’ End for providing these styles. This post was not sponsored, but it is in correlation with a sponsored post on my Instagram. As always, all opinions are my own!