The Holiday season is one jam-packed with things to do- shopping for presents, going to parties, decorating and baking, and going on little winter adventures outside. But between all the fun, a girl just needs to stay in for a night. Curling up under a warm blanket on my couch with a big mug of hot chocolate and watching Christmas movies is my favorite way to spend a night in; it can be a great girls’ night with your besties (I’m currently hosting one tonight), a cute and casual date night with your guy, or just a little family bonding time.
But if you want to have a night in, you have do to it right! The perfect hot chocolate can make or break a good night in, and unless you are lucky enough to live right next door to a café, you are going to have to make your own. The first rule of good hot chocolate is to use milk when you make it (do you really want to drink water with a little chocolate flavor?). My personal favorite is the Starbucks hot chocolate mix, because it has several different flavors to use (like peppermint and cinnamon dolce, even double chocolate), because it has a lot more coca powder in it, which makes the hot chocolate thicker and even more chocolate-y. If you’re making hot chocolate for more than one,try the recipe for crock-pot hot chocolate; it’s all over Pinterest lately. Top the mug of the delicious chocolaty goodness with some whipped cream and it is perfect.
Movie time! What kind of Christmas movie are you in the mood for? Do you want a Christmas classic, or a more recent release? Something that will make your cry from all the emotions, or cry from laughing so hard? This one is really more up to personal preference, but these are staples at my home around the holidays:
-Elf
-The Santa Clause and The Santa Clause 2
-Miracle on 34th St (the original black and white version)
-It’s a Wonderful Life
-Love Actually
-Santa Clause is Coming to Town
-The Polar Express
-How The Grinch Stole Christmas (both the cartoon and the Jim Carrey versions)
-Home Alone 2
-The Holiday
-The Christmas Story
-A Charlie Brown Christmas
Add it all up and this could result in the perfect winter night it. Enjoy!
By Contributing Writer: Sammi Nutt