Mixing Memories: Decorating the Christmas Tree, Hot Chocolate & A Recipe for Holiday Magic

Published by admin on Wed, 01/04/2023 - 11:10am

There is such a sense of magic in the air tonight. Outside, it is cold, and there are a few snowflakes blowing around. But inside, the house is warm, and the kids are all gathered around the Christmas tree with a tote of holiday ornaments beside them. The room smells of hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies, and the sounds of traditional holiday music playing are frequently interrupted as my three-year-old son, Cody, tugs on my shirt and says, “Look, Mom, Christmas tree!” as he points at the bulb he’s just placed upon a branch.

I love the look of wonder and pride on his face as he studies the tree he is helping to decorate. His older siblings, Libby and Jackson, have decorated the majority of the upper branches, while our younger daughter, Josie, is working to unravel some of the garland.

I cherish these holiday traditions! So many moments often slip by unnoticed, or worse, are filled with worry and stress. So taking the time to stop and breathe in, truly treasuring a wonderful moment, is all the more important.

One of the many things we love to make as we savor beautiful holiday memories is a good mug of hot chocolate. It is one of those things my children ask for frequently during these colder months. They are eager to come inside after being out building snow forts and snowmen or having snowball fights to find their favorite mugs filled to the top with hot chocolate. Each of my children likes it slightly differently from the others. Our Josie likes hers loaded with marshmallows, while Jackson loves his loaded with whipped cream and some milk chocolate shavings as a topping. Libby prefers hers with whipped cream as well, but instead of chocolate shavings, she loves crushed peppermint candy cane crumbled over hers.

I’ve tried quite a few different recipes for hot chocolate over the years. Some I’ve liked, some I didn’t like as much. I’ve made it in a slow cooker, a pot on the stove, or a mug in the microwave. I’ve also made it by shaking it up in a mason jar with hot tap water and a favorite cocoa powder mixed in. I’ve tried it with milk and cream instead of water and vice-versa. But I’ve come to realize that my favorite way to make it uses a combination of a few of those techniques. So, I’m sharing my secret recipe ...

Hot Chocolate

8 cups hot water

1 ½ cups of your favorite hot cocoa powder mix

1 cup Italian sweet cream liquid coffee creamer

Between ¼ and ½ a bag of mini marshmallows

Our favorite toppings ...

whipped cream

1 milk chocolate candy bar (grated with a fine grater)

1 peppermint candy cane (crushed to powder and bits)

Some sprinkles in your favorite colors

I start this by adding the hot water, hot chocolate powder mix, marshmallows and Italian sweet creamer into a medium sized pot and heating it until all of the marshmallows melt into the liquid, stirring it well as it heats. Then pour it into your favorite mugs and top as desired with whipped cream and your favorite toppings. It is so fun and easy to make and our kids love it wholeheartedly. I hope that this is something that you and your families will love, too. With Christmas coming up in just a few days, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday.

Recipe for Holiday Magic

By Rachel Hendricks

A sprinkle of giggles from a child of three,

Is the perfect way to start this recipe.

Mix in a hint of a smile and a dash of glee,

Now savor the moments as they decorate the tree.

Add an ornament here and a Christmas bulb there,

Save the garland that the cat’s hidden under the chair.

Say yes when asked for hot chocolate tonight,

Add plenty of marshmallows to make this just right.

Play music that adds warmth to your soul,

String popcorn together from a very big bowl.

Watch as your son puts the star upon the tree-top,

And your daughter quickly devours the last gum-drop.

These moments are often made all the sweeter,

When mixed with a warmth much stronger than made by the heater.

Watch carefully as your children tend to grow,

Much faster than you will ever know.

So much to savor, so much to be treasured,

The love for your family can’t be measured.

Finally mix these ingredients all just right,

And enjoy the magic you’ve created this night.

Rachel Hendricks is a stay-at-home mom to four children. She and her husband, Shawn, live at Hartford Beach State Park, where Rachel enjoys baking, hiking, visiting with the campers and raising her family.