Last year for New Year’s Eve in Missouri we had a snow day at home. To come up with a fun surprise for the kids I made this Hot Cocoa New Year’s Eve Countdown Board .

All ingredients, including the cute hot cocoa bomb snowmen, are from Aldi! It only took a few minutes to assemble and it turned out so cute!

This kid friendly treat doubles as a fun countdown activity to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home !

Check out the video below to see our countdown.

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Hot Cocoa New Year's Eve Countdown Board

Ingredients

• 2 hot chocolate bombs
• 3 cups popcorn I used bagged kettle corn
• chocolate covered pretzels I used 6 jumbo
• 1 large marshmallow pop
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• assorted chocolate candies and mints I like Andes Mints and Ferrero Rocher
• mugs of warm milk and spoons for serving

Instructions

• Start by covering the bottom of a large platter or tray with a mixture of popcorn and mini marshmallows.
• Now add your hot cocoa bombs on top in the center of the platter. I used 2 because I have 2 kids. You can adjust and add as many as you want!
• Now arrange remaining toppings like jumbo coated pretzels and assorted chocolates and mints all over.
• Finally add a jumbo marshmallow pop (or make your own with a jumbo marshmallow and a cake pop stick).
• For your countdown have the marshmallow positioned pointing towards the top (like a clock hand at 12).
• Serve with mugs of warm milk and spoons for mixing in the cocoa bombs and toppings and enjoy!

I found all these fun treats at Aldi. The snowman cocoa bombs are my favorite!

Ready for our “Noon Years Eve” afternoon countdown!

Happy New Year!

Be sure to watch our video above to see our countdown!

The post Hot Cocoa New Year’s Eve Countdown Board appeared first on For the Love of Food.

Christmas is only a few weeks away, y’all! It’s my favorite time of year and I am so excited for all the fun holiday activities I get to do with my girls. But honestly, one yearly tradition I have never given in to participated in is the Elf on the Shelf. To add another daily activity I would have to do just overwhelmed me. Luckily, my girls never asked for one….until Ava started kindergarten last year and her teacher had an elf for the class.  So this year we bought an Elf but I am adding a twist and making it much easier on me and fun for my girls too!

I know you are going to love this fun twist on the Elf on the Shelf Christmas tradition just like me. Simply print out the free Christmas book list below and have your elf deliver it to your little ones along with a Christmas book on Dec 1. Then every day until Christmas he shows up with another book to read with them at bedtime. Your kids can keep track of their reading with the printable list and you don’t have to think of any crazy scenes to set up with your elf every day! Then on Christmas Eve, he delivers a special gift to them such as hot cocoa and new PJs. Or a stuffed toy. Anything will work as a special treat from the Elf and for reading all month long!

Scroll down to download the free printable book list!

Our new Elf on the Shelf is ready to surprise my girls on Dec 1st. 

I know the girls are going to be excited just to have an Elf and I am excited to have such a simple and fun activity every night with them.

The best thing is you don’t have to spend a lot! I went to our local thrift store and bought a stack of ‘new to my girls’ Christmas books for around 50 cents each. Then I went through and pulled around ten of our Christmas books from the shelf at home.  Since we only read them a few times a year they probably won’t even mind or notice that they are our own books. It’s just the excitement of ready with the Elf every night!

I named our Elf Buddy from my fave Christmas movie Elf. Once the girls get him he will probably be renamed to Unicorn or Rainbow.

Stella is one a kick where everything is Rainbow lately. Fine by me!

Ok, Ok I admit it! He is kinda cute. Guess we’re stuck with you now Elf!

Click here to download and print your Elf of the Shelf Christmas Stories Countdown!

I’m excited to hear about everyone’s Elves and how your kiddos liked this new fun tradition!

Follow my page on Instagram for photos from our Elf reveal on Dec 1st!

Merry Christmas from Buddy and I!

Check out this idea and more here: Elf on the Shelf Ultimate List of Creative Ideas. 

The post Elf on the Shelf Christmas Stories Countdown Printable appeared first on For the Love of Food.