Entering The Christmas Zone!

It’s that time again!

Gearing up for Christmas!

🙂

Thanksgiving is over, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday have all passed without further ado! Now is the time to think about the reason for the season.

LOVE!

Brrr, baby it’s cold out there!  I need hot chocolate. (I love hot chocolate!)

Cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here’s a  quick  holiday idea for making gifts teachers, friends, etc. My kids love  this hot chocolate mix.  Adapted and tweaked from Grandma Dot’s recipe to…

Evie’s  Hot Chocolate Mix!

1 – 8  ounce jar cocoa powder

1 – 8 quart package  non fat dry milk (about 10 cups)

1 -16 ounce package sifted powdered sugar (about 3 -3/4 cups)

1 -10 ounce jar powdered non dairy creamer

Optional * pinch of cinnamon and whipped cream or marshmallows. I like to add a peppermint stick to my gifts!

My grandson, Justin doesn’t like cinnamon so I just add it to my cup!

~ In large bowl mix all ingredients except optional items. Store in airtight container. For one serving add about one fourth cup hot chocolate mix to one cup boiled water. Let cool before drinking!

Last year for teachers and friends, the grand kids and I did Rudolph Hot Chocolate Treats .

For over a year I have pinned these holiday ideas, and here’s the mother load! I thought maybe you would like to check out my Pinterest board full of Christmas ideas.

Many are do-it-yourself, easy decorations, crafts, and ornaments that will make your holiday brighter.

Enjoy and don’t forget to follow Evie’s Gardens here and on Facebook!

Thanks ~ Evie

Related articles

• 4 Secrets To A Well Stocked Holiday Pantry (designmom.com)
• Christmas Ornament Craft: Recycled Snowman (inspiredbyfamilymag.com)

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Countdown to Christmas!

School is out for the rest of the year, and it’s cold outside!

What can you do while the kids are home, and impatiently waiting for the ‘big day’ to arrive?

I adapted a Pinterest pin and we made Rudolph Hot Chocolate Mix. (We made ours for the kids’ teachers.) Makes great last-minute RACK (random acts of Christmas kindness) gifts for the neighbors, friends, and family.

Hot chocolate, anyone?

This is an easy craft and the children can help!

For each Rudolph you will need:

1 Wilton decorating bag

2 Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate packets

Handful of miniature marshmallows

Small handful of chocolate mint M and M’s

2 googly eyes (attach with Tacky glue)

Curling ribbon or any tying material

1/2 metallic red pipe cleaner for nose

1 metallic red pipe cleaners for antlers

Directions for Rudolph Chocolate Treats:

Empty packets of hot chocolate mix in bag.

Next drop in marshmallows, followed by M and M’s.

Twist bag closed, tie off with ribbon, twist ties, etc.

For each treat you will need to cut 2 pipe cleaners in half. (I used a small pair of needle nose pliers, but you could use an old pair of scissors that won’t hurt if you cut wire.) You will need one and a half pipe cleaners per treat.

Pictured is pipe cleaners for antlers.

 

Wrap one of the halved pipe cleaners around the tip of bag for nose. Pinch it so it doesn’t slide off of the bag. See first picture.

For each antler you will need one pipe cleaner, halved. Take one of the halves and cut it in half again. Twist the halved one around the top of the bag (where you have it tied off with ribbon or twist tie.)

Then take the quartered pieces and twist around the ends of the pipe cleaner to make antlers.

Glue googly eyes on bag with Tacky glue. (See above picture.)

You could use any powdered hot chocolate mix. Here’s the link to my hot chocolate mix recipe.

These make double cups of hot chocolate. If you want, you could use one package and make a smaller reindeer. Just cut the excess plastic from the top.

BTW… my grand children already drank theirs, so I used an empty one for a pattern! You can tell by the hot chocolate spots on the TV tray! 🙂

That’s it, folks. Occupy the kids and make a great last-minute gift! Be sure to make some for them, too!

For more great Christmas ideas check out  raisingolives.