Create a Hot Cocoa Bar for Winter Entertaining

Happy Holidays to you, dear Friends! We’re out on the porch today and I know it’s a little chilly. Don’t worry though, I have just the thing to warm us up. Step right over here and belly up to the bar–the Hot Cocoa Bar, that is. 🙂

Make a Hot Cocoa Bar for the Holidays

 

I’ve been envisioning a Hot Cocoa Bar for years out here on the porch, but I could never quite gather together all the bits and pieces I needed to create it, most especially the sign I wanted to place above it.

Hot Cocoa Bar for the Porch

 

I first saw this adorable sign on Jennifer’s blog, Celebrating Everyday Life. Oh, my goodness, it was infatuation at first sight! Jennifer told me she found it in Marshalls and though I visited just about every Marshalls in town, no Hot Cocoa signs were to be found.

Hot Cocoa Sation

 

I ran across it again when Debbie posted her delightful hot cocoa bar on her blog, Ribbonwood Cottage. Both Jennifer and Debbie have created wonderful hot cocoa bars so be sure and check them both out!

Hot Cocoa Bar Sign

 

The following year when winter rolled around again, I set back out on my Hot Cocoa sign quest just in case a miracle had happened and Marshalls had gotten it back in again.

Nope, no miracles. It was beginning to look like if I wanted a Hot Cocoa Bar with a sign above it, I was going to have to make my own. So, I finally did!

If you would like a Hot Cocoa sign for your home or porch, check back in the next day or two. I’ll be posting a tutorial soon sharing all the details.

Hot Chocolate Bar

 

I changed the wording on mine just a little. Instead of, Come on in and warm up!, I went with a phrase from the song, Let It Snow, a favorite of mine this time of year.

Hot Chocolate Station for the Porch

 

I’ve given my Hot Cocoa Bar a Christmas vibe since Christmas is just a few days away, but this is something you could set up anytime during the winter for your family or for entertaining.

Hot Cocoa Bar

 

When I was pulling all the things together that I needed for a hot cocoa station, I headed over to Dollar Tree hoping I’d find some mugs that would work well with my sign. I couldn’t believe my luck when I spotted six mugs bearing the phrase: CHOCOLATE IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER. Perfect!

Hot Cocoa Sign

 

For your hot cocoa enjoyment, we have lots of yummy toppings. 🙂

Peppermint, Salted Caramel and Classic Hot Chocolate for Hot Cocoa Bar

 

Hot Chocolate Station With Toppings

 

You can add a few Elf Nose Warmers or stir your hot cocoa with Elf Stockings. Elf Hats and Snowman Noses are always quite tasty in hot cocoa, too. 😉

What’s your favorite flavor of hot chocolate? We have Peppermint Bark, Salted Caramel and Classic hot chocolate and rumor has it there’s a new flavor out called, Gingerbread! Yum!

Shaved chocolate toppers include Dark, White, Milk and Peppermint chocolate. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy into your hot cocoa for a little extra peppermint flavor.

Create a Hot Cocoa Bar for Serving Hot Chocolate

 

A glass flatware caddy normally used for parties worked great to hold the white peppermint chocolate and red candy stirrers.

Hot Cocoa Station with Toppings

 

Since there’s no such thing as too much chocolate, stir your hot cocoa with a Sea Salt chocolate stir stick. Other stir-stick-flavors include Chili Spice, Cookies & Cream and Pumpkin Spice.

Hot Chocolate Stir Sticks for Cocoa Bar

 

I came across Mr. Chocolate Moose in Hobby Lobby while shopping for cup hooks for the Hot Cocoa sign. He actually smells like chocolate! I don’t know how they did it but he smells just like chocolate. 

One of the Hobby Lobby employees saw me cuddling/smelling Mr. Moose and said when they first arrived and they opened up the big box full of these chocolate moose(s), the smell made them want to dive right into the box. Ha! 

He definitely had to come home with me since I chose moose hooks for the sign. You may recognize the plaid thermos set he’s sitting on from this post last Christmas: Decorate the Porch for Christmas

Chocolate Moose & Plaid Thermos for Cocoa Bar

 

Embroidered on the bottom of his fuzzy little foot are the words, Chocolate Moose.

Chocolate Moose Smells Like Chocolate

 

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful. And since we’ve no place to go, let it now, let it snow, let it snow!

Hot Chocolate Bar

 

Tutorial coming soon for making this Hot Cocoa sign.

Update: Tutorial for making sign can be found here: DIY Hot Cocoa Sign for a Hot Chocolate Bar: A Tutorial

Make a Sign for a Hot Cocoa Bar

 

Make a Hot Cocoa Bar for the Holidays

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Comments

  1. Janet Rountree says

    Absolutely best Hot Chocolate Bar in all of blogland! I just love everything about this! Perfect in every way!

  2. How incredibly cute! Love the sea salt stirrers – where’d you get those? Cheers to Yankee ingenuity – when you can’t buy it, make it!

  3. Oh, the weather outside is frightful……I will be singing that song in my head all day!!! Wish it was snowinv here instead of cloudy and drizzling. Your cocoa bar makes me wish for cold snowy weather. Your entire bar set up is so adorable. I think I will take a cup of the Salted Caramel, thanks.

  4. pam ~ crumpety cottage says

    Awww, I love Mr. Moose. 😀 The whole bar is delightful. I’ll stop by Friday for my cocoa on the porch. 😉 What a dream that would be.

    Ever since you originally showcased Jennifer’s Hot Cocoa Bar, I have loved the idea. I would create one of my own if I had enough .. er … traffic to actually drink the hot cocoa. Hey, maybe if I built it, ‘they would come.’ Haha. I love it all. The sign in particular is awesome! Can’t wait to see how you put that together. Very professional looking!

    This year I bought some cute new mugs especially for hot cocoa. Maybe I do need to build that hot cocoa bar. AND I have an awesome assortment of hot cocoas available, as well as (thanks to you) all the accoutrements such as smiling snowmen faces and candy canes. 😀 I’ve got most of the stuff I need … just the sign and the table and I can have the whole neighborhood (all 5 houses, lol) over here. What fun!

    Thanks, Susan. This is just what I needed to start my day. 🙂 Honestly.

  5. OMG!! This is amazingly too cute! I want a hot cocoa station too! (And we just marked down the tartan mugs so everything on my table will match a station I could make in another area). WS came out with a new hot cocoa flavor – Gingerbread.

    That sign is too cute. And you are so talented. Also I didn’t see a link for the plates. Are they from Pottery Barn? I really love a winter theme tablescape because you can change out one or two things for Christmas, New Years, Valentine’s and St Patrick’s Day too. See I am learning. I want to however buy the Twas place setting but it just won’t fit in with the classic tartan theme I’ve got going on. Maybe for the kitchen? What do you think?

    • Gingerbread…YUM! Maybe you could just buy six salad plates to add to some dinner plates you already have. I do that when I come across a pattern I adore, I’ll just buy the salads. I love mixing and matching anyway!

    • I just realized I didn’t answer your question about the plates. Those are the Better Homes and Gardens salad plates from Wally World. Thanks, Jeri…appreciate those kind words! Merry Christmas to you and your family!

  6. BTW it will be 80 here in Va Beach on Thursday. Think I’ll hold off on the hot cocoa until January or February.

  7. How nice Susan & you are amazing to have made that wonderful sign!
    I love the saying because it’s from one of my favorite songs, too!
    Merry Christmas!

  8. Your hot chocolate bar looks complete. I’ll take one with the sea salt stirrer, please. And that chocolate moose? Too funny. But the perfect final touch.

  9. Cyndy Yonkman says

    Hi Susan,
    I have a simple little coffee/hot chocolate bar in my “butler’s pantry laundry room combo that I am putting together my family loves it so I will be looking for the sign instructions. What I would love to know most is where to find that lovely little hutch. I have about 4 places in my Crimson Cottage that I could use it! Was it a one of a kind find?
    I love your blog, keep on sharing your talents so many of us are looking for ideas we can tweak to make our own. Merry Christmas!

  10. I’ve been wanting to make a Hot Coco station too. Yours looks so inviting! I can’t wait to see how you made the sign, very creative. It looks like you bought it. I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!

  11. SUUUUUPER CUTE!! Where did you find the deer hooks?

    • Thanks! Found those in Hobby Lobby. They had soooo many styles of hooks, it was hard to choose!

    • Oh, and actually they are Moose hooks. I kept calling them deer hooks the whole time I was making the sign, but they are actually moose heads. I hope I didn’t call them deer heads in this post, I better reread it to see. lol

  12. This just warmed my heart!! Now…I’m SO READY for a hot chocolate…just purchased those cute “Santa Mugs” from Pottery Barn…luv’d all your accouterments!! CHEERS!! franki

  13. I just love all of the Chocolate bar and setting it up on the porch made it more special

    We both get to enjoy our grandson’s. what at joy and may your time together be wonderful.

  14. Marlene Stephenson says

    You have done a great job on your sign,it is the cutest i have seen. I will be right over for some hot chocolate,i can’t wait although it might take me about 48 hrs.to get there, lol!! I’ll just have another look and dream. ha!

  15. First…let me say, please do not change the color of your hutch…I have long admired it and I think it looks great no matter the season and the settings!

    Love the idea of a chocolate bar since I first saw one on Pinterest and then saw your post featuring Jennifer’s and have seen several others since…I would do it in a heartbeat except we have little critters in Hawai’i that come out of the woodwork (ants & geckos mainly) when you leave anything food out! When we had a dessert party and another year a cookie exchange party, I’ve had to maintain a vigilant eye during the whole event to make sure no ant or gecko would join the festivities…

  16. I love this idea. The hooks are fabulous! Can’t wait to see the tutorial. Thank you!

  17. Your blog is a delight. So personable and informative. I love the chocolate moose…wonder if they have any at our closest one….40 miles away. Will have to check it out. Well back to what i do…..feeding chipmunks and squirrels at the back door when they come by and sit pretty for us. Have a merry christmas and thank you for brightening my day

  18. Renee Fleury says

    I want to try something like this in our Logan Creek Retirement Community activity room in January! So nice to help beat the after Christmas blahs when the decorations come down. Thanks for the inspiration!!

  19. Fabulous. The perfect cocoa station. – – – May your Christmas be Blessed and Merry

  20. So cute! Can’t wait for the tutorial!

  21. What a cute idea! Looks like a nice place for neighbors to stop by and visit.

  22. Oh my stars, this is so cute I had to comment! Have a blessed Christmas! Enjoy your blog….it makes me smile at the end of a long day or work week!

  23. Great cocoa bar!!! Can’t wait to see the tutorial on the sign. Don’t ya just love the dollar Tree? They get in some of the cutest things. I also bought those exact stirrers but I found them at home goods. May you and your family be blessed this Christmas season and always!

  24. Love the hot chocolate, nice and warming. Speaking of warming, I remember you recommended a certain brand of flannel sheets. It will be cold up here in NH soon and I would love to know which ones you recommend. Have a Merry Christmas

  25. I love your Hot Chocolate bar !
    I asked this on another post but can’t find where I asked it so forgive me if you already answered. I love your Custom Banner , who made it or where did you get it ?
    Thank you,
    Lisa

  26. Cyndi Raines says

    Awesome! Looking forward to the tutorial for the hot chocolate sign. Thanks Susan.

  27. I love this post! So charming and delightful! The chocolate Moose is the icing on the cake. Perfection. Merry Christmas.

  28. bobbi duncan says

    This is just the “sweetest” ever! You go girl…can’t find it, then make it. You did a terrific job, and I love the reindeer hooks so much. You always add just the right touches, like Mr. Moose, who is just too cute. We were supposed to have a warm and sunny Xmas but, now, it’s supposed to rain Thursday and Friday. It’s the first Xmas in 16 years that It hasn’t been nice at Xmas…bummer, but we’ll be inside with family and friends so all will be good. A very merry to you and much happiness in 2016.

  29. Susan, setting my bar up today for Christmas Eve&Day…though its predicted to be in the 70’s, no snow in WVA this holiday season. So enjoyed following you this year, looking forward to 2016!

  30. This is the cutest. Thing. Ever.

  31. What a great hot cocoa bar, I just love it. I can hardly wait for the sign tutorial–you are so talented! :0). Have a blessed, blessed Christmas.

  32. Love this Susan! Merry Christmas to you and yours. I look forward to your continued inspiration in 2016! Your blog is my favorite.

  33. Love, Love, Love this post! Like so many others I have questions, like where did you find the Hot Chocolate mixes. Would like to find the Salted Caramel.
    Keep up the good work.

  34. Love the Hot Chocolate Bar! can’t wait for the tutorial. Would also like to know where to find the Hot Chocolate Mixes.

  35. Happy New Year, Susan!
    I have been lusting after this sign, too! lol Who knew?!
    I feel as though I’ve stumbled across a treasure today. Can’t wait to see your tutorial. I’m going to look for it now. Thanks so very much!
    Linda at Beautiful Ideas

  36. Susan, sorry for the back to back posts….I just read your other post on creating the Hot Chocolate Bar and see you mentioned purchasing the mugs at the Dollar Tree and that darling Moose and Hobby Lobby. Seems I will be going there this weekend to see if they are still available to purchase, considering it has been a year or two since you purchased those. I love all of your ideas. Thank you so much for sharing your creativity. I LOVE that Buffalo Plaid Tote and the two matching thermo’s containers. You know I am going to ask you where you purchased them. Please share where you found them. Thank you as always!!

    • Thanks so much, Christina for your sweet and encouraging words, appreciate those so much! I found the thermos tote on eBay. If you check on eBay and search for “plaid thermos” or “plaid thermos set,” you’ll find a ton of plaid thermos totes/sets on there.
      I just looked at mine and the brand is King Seely Thermos. I’ve seen this exact set on eBay since I purchased mine, so if you don’t find it, I’m sure it will eventually pop again on there.

      Be sure and read the descriptions before you purchase a set. Since these are vintage, I’ve noticed the condition can really vary. I searched for a while until one popped up that was in really good condition, so just be patient and one will come along that’s in great condition.

  37. donna a zoltanski says

    Yummy…..sounds just perfect right now – outside our windows it is snowing and roads are covered! I love all your special touches. A hot chocolate bar – what’s not to love! I think I should go make a cup right now!

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