Make Memories With An Easy Christmas Coffee + Hot Cocoa Bar

As kids start to get older and age out of the Christmas traditions of the early years, it feels bitterweet.

My kids aren’t so little anymore.

Yes, I am walking into the holidays this year feeling a profound sense of gratitude for all the wonderful memories we have made with them. I look at old Christmas morning videos and savor the joy on their little faces as they run to their presents on the screen of my phone.

But I also feel a little sad that there will not be any real toys under our tree this year and that all the years of pouring so much attention into the little details of trying to create the perfect Christmas memories for them are becoming more and more finite.

I try to push it down, but the feelings are there and they’re real.

But yesterday, my teenager asked me, “MOM! When are you going to put the Christmas hot cocoa bar out?” I could tell that she’s genuinely so excited to start the festivities- and this small tradition I started a few years back seems to be at the top of her mind.

It snapped me out of my melancholy a bit. Because while it’s ok to feel sad about the passage of time, dwelling there is missing the point.

The traditions and memories we make do not suddenly evaporate when a child hits a certain age. They carry on for a lifetime. And while running for the presents on Christmas morning is fun, there are a million little things that we have done along the way that also burrow their way down into our kids’ own unique understanding of “what Christmas is.”

Long after childhood ends, there can still be magic. And that brings me to the Christmas Coffee + Hot Cocoa bar.

Our Christmas Coffee + Hot Cocoa Bar

I got more confirmation that the Christmas coffee + hot cocoa bar is a worthwhile project when I received this message from my neighbor yesterday:

“My kids consistently talk about your hot chocolate bar setup. Trying to somewhat copy it over here.”

I know my kids like it, but the fact that this little thing is making an impression on visitors too? It kind of caught me my surprise.

The little things matter!

I used to occasionally set the Christmas coffee and hot cocoa bar out when we were hosting, but a few years back I stayed at my sister’s house over the holidays. She had a fun and festive display set up with seasonal coffees, fun stir sticks and cute seasonal mugs to select from- it made grabbing my morning cup so much more fun!

So I thought, “Next year I’m going to do this for my kids (and myself).”

The Christmas coffee and hot cocoa bar has gone through several iterations in the years since. In different homes I’ve had to make adjustments. I’ve added to my mug collection, I’ve changed my display methods, I’ve upgraded my decor a little at a time.

It’s a fun (and easy!) project that is sure to make memories for the kids in your life.

And if you don’t have kids around? It can also bring a little more holiday joy to your mornings this season – you’re totally worth the effort, after all!

Once you start, I bet this tradition will remain high on your list of holiday decorating must-dos.

Read on for how to create your own Christmas coffee and hot cocoa bar.

Step 1 | Pick your location

Our Christmas coffee + hot cocoa bar has been on the counter, on a bar cart, and on a buffet table.

The beauty of this decorating project is that it can take up as much (or as little) space as you want.

Here are some things to consider when choosing where to set up shop:

• Access– Who will primarily be using the Christmas coffee and hot cocoa bar? If it’s you… where will it be most convenient for you in the mornings? If it’s kids… where will it be easy for them to reach (and use)? If they are older and independent you may want it to be easily accessible. If they are still young, you might want to place it a bit out of reach.
• Clean-Up– While super fun, these areas can get a bit messy. Syrups and cocoa can be sticky and spills will happen. Plan ahead by choosing a spot where a few spills aren’t a big deal (aka not near white couches or hard-to clean surfaces).
• Size– The most simple setups don’t need much more than a coffee maker, a syrup or two, and a couple of festive mugs. If you want to add a generous array of toppings and more involved decor, you may want to choose a larger surface area.

Step 2 | Add A Coffee/ cocoa Maker

This is the main ingredient, if you will.

Again, if this is for you… just use whatever you already use to make your morning joe.

If you’re making it for littles, I recommend a Keurig machine for ease of use. I know that Kcups aren’t the best for a variety of reasons and I’m personally in the process of trying to find an alternative option for my daily coffee (let me know if you have a favorite in the comments!). But for us right now, this works. It’s such a short period of time that we’re using it- we’ll probably keep it up until I find a better solution.

Step 3 | Add A Tray

This step is the secret to making your Christmas coffee + hot cocoa bar look organized!

Choose a tray that is appropriately sized for the space you have chosen and the amount of ingredients you would like to display.

This gives everything a home and makes it look cohesive. It also makes cleanup a little bit easer.

Step 4 | Add Your Mugs/Cups

Building A Collection

Part of the fun of this step is letting your collection build and evolve over time, so if you’re just getting started with collecting holiday mugs, resist the urge to run out and buy a set the first year.

When I started our mug collection, I chose a theme (mostly red and white) and have stuck with that over the years. It has helped keep things looking cohesive and helped us stay focused with our additions.

Display and Storage

During the holiday season there are many ways to display your mugs in your Christmas coffee and hot cocoa bar. I have used a freestanding mug rack like this one in the past, and that has worked really well.

I also found this compact unit, which would work well for a smaller space!

You could also simply keep a limited number of mugs out on the counter or place them on a shelf or in the cabinet above if you have one. Keep it simple!

Add Some To-Go Cups

I always like to display a set of festive paper cups and lids as well. These are perfect for grabbing a cocoa-to-go before heading out on a Christmas light drive or sending kids to school with a little something special on a snowy December morning.

I usually grab a set for about $5 at HomeGoods or Marshall’s but there are plenty of good options online as well if you don’t have that type of store close to you.

Step 4 | Add Your Toppings

This is where you get to really personalize your Christmas coffee + hot cocoa bar experience!

Coffee and Cocoa

As I mentioned before, we are currently using K-Cups but you can use anything you want! If you use ground coffee, you can put it in a festive canister near your coffee pot. The same could be done with bulk powdered hot cocoa mix.

Or display individual packets of cocoa powder in a clear acrylic tea holder.

Flavored Syrups

These are great for both coffee and hot cocoa drinks! I love a classic peppermint at Christmastime, and Torani makes my favorite. There are a ton of more unique options out there though. If you’re not sure which flavor to choose, try a sampler pack!

For a style upgrade, consider decanting your syrups into a glass jar with a pretty colored pump and minimal label.

Stir Sticks

These are so fun; kids love them! Look for the individually wrapped sticks so you can take them out of the package and display them all season long. My son loves these simple ones with chocolate and marshmallows, but he asked me to advise you that you should try several options because he doesn’t like the candy cane ones at all. Haha.

Marshmallows

There are so many fun, gourmet marshmallow options out there. I feel like we’ve tried them all, but we always come back to the classic Jet-Puffed mini-marshmallows.

Tip: Make sure to put these in a sealed jar so they don’t dry out!

If you haven’t seen them, they also make marshmallow “bits” which are perfect for shaking out onto a steaming cup of cocoa. Up the glam factor by putting them in an airtight canister with a pretty metal scoop.

Sprinkles

You know what to do.

Whipped Cream

This obviously lives in the fridge most of the time and the kids just know where to grab it, but I do usually set it out if we have company over or are having a party. There is always a can of Reddi-Wip in our fridge during the holiday season.

Step 5 | Decorate

This is the final step, and the degree with which you choose to embellish your Christmas coffee + hot cocoa bar is totally up to you!

Here are a few tips for styling your display:

• Add height at the back– Here, I accomplished this by leaning the red “Hot Cocoa” sign behind the tray. It ads a punch of festive color and breaks up the tile. You can lean wall art, a mirror, a framed hot-cocoa recipe… anything you want!
• Add greenery – This can be a wreath (height and a pop of green) as seen on the middle shelf. It could be a mini-evergreen in a cute pot. Or even a bunch of fresh flowers/branch clippings in a vase.
• Use what you have – I’ll always remind you of this, because if you have a hole that need to be filled, there is a pretty good chance that you already have something lying around that you could use. In the display above I added in red, white, and green cookbooks from my collection, a pretty mint julep jar with a few candy canes, and some old brass cups for a little more dimension. NONE of those things are actual Christmas decorations, but they make the display more interesting.

Now it’s your Turn To create your own christmas coffee + Hot Cocoa bar!

Ready to make some memories? It’s go time!

I hope this guide has given you the confidence to create your own holiday beverage bar and start some fun holiday traditions this year.

I’d love to see what you create! Tag me on IG (@suzettegebhardt_creative) if you share a picture (or email me a photo at suzette@suzettegebhardt.com.

As always, feel free to shoot me any questions you have… I’ll do my best to try to answer.

Happy decorating!

xoxo,

Want to keep the fun going all year long? Check out this post on How to make a coffee station in a cabinet for more ideas!