When I was little decorating the Christmas tree was a big deal.

My mom would make the day a big celebration - the kick-off to Christmas in our house. She would make cookies, set out a bunch of snacks in pretty bowls, make hot chocolate and play Christmas carols. It was always so much fun having snacks, going through our ornaments and taking hours to decorate the tree.

I have continued this same tradition in our house. My girls love decorating the tree. This year I set up a hot chocolate bar. They could make their own fun hot chocolate creations and get excited for the holidays to come. Our favorite hot chocolate is the traditional one from the Hershey’s Cocoa box - super simple. Then I added different sizes of marshmallows, cookies - both made and store bought, whipped cream and candy canes. They were so excited to be able to sample everything.