Host a Hot Cocoa Bar + Dessert Party for the Kids

Happy December 1st everyone! I'm back to bring you a super easy and super creative DIY Christmas tablescape and party idea your kiddos won't forget!

It's truly the most wonderful time of the year — what I like to call "hot chocolate season"! I came up with the idea to put together a hot chocolate bar station so everyone who came over could make their own custom cup perfect for them. And, after they create their treat, they can all sit together at a festive table and open up some gifts!

Check out the how-to and shop everything I used to make it happen at The Container Store, below!

The Container Store has an amazing holiday selection called their Gift Wrap Wonderland; it has everything from gift wrapping paper, gift tags and bags, boxes of all colors and sizes, cupcake toppers, and everyday storage containers - all of which I used to create this dessert table, festive tablescape and hot cocoa bar cart.

Hot Chocolate Bar

The Container Store's Origami Kitchen Cart worked perfectly as a place to house the hot chocolate bar and also few gifts for the kids to open once the party starts!

This versatile cart is made of rubber wood and a sturdy steel frame with rolling wheels so I can move it anywhere around the home. When not in use for display or as a hot chocolate station, it also provides a built-in prep surface. Plus, it folds to just 6" wide so it can easily be stored neatly away when not in use.

DIY Chocolate Bar Station

To make the hot chocolate bar, I used a variety of Glass Canisters with Glass Lids and placed them on a Red Square Lacquered Serving Tray which adds such a great holiday pop of color to the look! 

I absolutely love the variety of sizes they offer in the canisters, which makes it easy to add the cocoa, marshmallows, chocolate chips and peppermint candy to them. 

For jars that needed a little more explanation in terms of type of chocolate and marshmallow, I used Container Store's Glass Jars with Chalkboard labels . They're such a great solution for all-in-one storage and labeling, plus they're hermetically sealed so they'll keep everything fresh, even after the party!

Creative Christmas Tablescape

To create this creative yet simple centerpiece, start with the trees! 

The Container Store has these cute wood table top décor trees that are so simple to assemble and come with cute little colorful wood ornaments that you can place throughout the trees. The bright colors are so fun! 

For the drinks, I used Container Store's Clear Glass Milk Bottles that come in a pack of six, filled them up with milk, and added some holiday pattern straws to complete the look. The kids loved this aspect and it was such a fun way to punch up the traditional glass. Plus, they come with screw-top lids so they can take them home if they want to.

If you want to add a Christmas element right down to the cupcake itself, think about these little fuzzy Christmas tree and Snowflake cupcake toppers! They help tie the whole festive theme together.

Gifts For the Kids

My first and favorite find were these holiday comic gift bags from the Container Store. It makes for a such a fun gift bag for the kids, and I filled each with some stocking stuffer gifts, red and green crinkled paper, and a "No Peeking" graphic gift tag just for a little laugh! 

It's the perfect piece to go in front of each place setting, building the excitement for the party.

Gifts For Everyone

One of the many things that The Container Store is so well-known for during the holiday season is their huge selection of gift wrapping paper - and I mean huge! In their Gift Wrap Wonderland, they have hundreds of gift wraps, ribbons, bows, gift bags and tissue paper to wrap everything from a ring to a giant stuffed animal. 

To wrap the gifts for the kids and the parents, I picked a selection of classic and modern gift wraps, especially in this whimsical Christmas blocks pattern.

This was such a fun hot cocoa bar + dessert party for the kids and I absolutely loved putting it together. I truly couldn't have done it without all the detail elements that you can find at The Container Store! They just make the setting look so pretty and festive without going overboard. Thanks for joining me, and if you have any questions about my how-tos or have some ideas of your own, let me know in the comments below! -xo Mel

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