Easy Holiday Stocking Stuffers

Today is Boxing Day, and after all the craziness of Christmas Day, you finally have some time to take a deep breath and do everything you meant to do before December 25, but didn't have the time for!  Here are 3 fun holiday crafts you can do with your kids -- and you can gift the results at your next holiday party!  (where I come from, the holiday parties last all the way till January, so it's totally not too late!).



Hot Cocoa Test Tubes; You'll  need three plastic test tubes, hot cocoa mix, and hot cocoa embellishments like mini marshmallows, crushed peppermint candy and white chocolate chips. Simply fill the first test tube with hot cocoa, then fill the other tubes with the yummy stuff that makes your hot cocoa special. I filled my second tube with mini marshmallows, then filled the third tube with alternating layers of white chocolate chips and crushed peppermint candy. Once the tubes are full, tie them together with a red ribbon, and voila, you have a totally adorable and delicious stocking stuffer!

Peppermint Swizzle Stick: Just pop one of these into your cup of cocoa or coffee for a wintry, minty burst of flavor!  Just melt some white chocolate and dip a wooden popsicle stick into the white chocolate until the stick is coated (leave about 1/3 of the stick uncoated).  You'll have to dip it multiple times to get enough chocolate on the stick (kind of like dipping a candle!).  When you're done dipping the final layer, roll the stick in a bowl of crushed peppermint candy, then lay it on a sheet of waxed paper until the chocolate has cooled and hardened.

Holiday Sweater Mug: Okay, this one really shouldn't be classified under "Easy", but if you know how to knit or crochet, it ought to be easy enough!  I can't knit or crochet, so I'm just going to have to find a sweater mug on etsy.

Thanks to my friends Cam and Nicole for introducing me to these adorable crafts at last week's Marley Coffee Holiday Breakfast!