Need a quick, easy gift idea for the holidays? I like to put together a few easily personalizable gifts to have on hand in a pinch when I inevitably forget to grab a gift for someone on my list. These hot cocoa mug kits are the perfect solution. Oriental Trading provided me with products for review, but all opinions are my own.
I’m one of those people who is either totally prepared and on the ball or so far from it that I didn’t even know the damn ball existed. It leaves me astonishingly prepared for some things (like having a full roll of paper towels in the car when my daughter got sick all over the back seat) and mind-bogglingly unprepared for others (toothpaste? Who needs toothpaste?!).
Talking to other moms, many of us seem to be in the same boat. Some days we feel superhuman. All the school forms are signed, appointments are kept, and we even manage to bake a batch of cookies. Other days (most days?) we’re just a hot mess and trying to keep the boat afloat. We forget to do the laundry, burn dinner, and totally space on picking one of the kids up from school. This is what balance really looks like.
Since I know myself and am completely aware of my strengths and my shortcomings, I generally try to take advantage of those rare moments when I’m hyper-organized and feeling productive. This little trick is sure to come in handy for you too.
A quick, easy gift idea to have on hand for holiday gift giving
During the holiday season, there are so many things to keep track of: what gifts need to be bought, who you need to buy them for, what party falls on what day. It’s a lot. And I always remember someone I wanted to give a gift to at the last possible moment. To save myself from completely melting down, I’ve started putting together a small batch of quick and simple gifts that can be adapted to just about any recipient.
This year I partnered with Oriental Trading to create simple hot cocoa mug kits.
Since we have friends and family who celebrate different holidays, I decided to go with a cute and cozy winter theme instead of tailoring our gifts to a particular holiday. Oriental Trading has an abundance of adorable snowflake options in different shades of blue that I thought would work for any age or gender.
The base of this gift is the winter snowflake mug (which comes in a set of six). Each of the gifts I’m creating will also include hot cocoa mix and marshmallows. From there, it can be customized depending on your recipient. For your boozy brunch friend, you might want to add a candy cane spoon and a tiny bottle of alcohol. For your kids’ bus driver you can throw in some homemade cookies. The possibilities for personalization are endless!
I made a batch of gifts for my Girl Scouts troop that included:
- let it snow jingle bell bracelets (I put them around the bottom of the mug)
- marshmallow and hot cocoa notepads with pencils
- marshmallow stickers
- snowman lollipop covers
- candy cane hot cocoa spoons
To fancy it up a bit, I put a little silver tinsel in the bottom of the mug. Next, I laid a plastic bag filled with cocoa powder and marshmallows on top and tied it up with a pretty, sparkly little bow. Then I experimented with different ways of nestling the extra bits in there.
I love that I can throw one of these gifts together in a pinch and that I can tailor it to just about anyone’s personality—it makes me look way more on the ball than I actually am. 😉
What would you add to personalize your hot cocoa mug kit?
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Hi! I'm Jen, a freelance writer and girl mom who loves reading the newest children’s books as much as I love a good psychological thriller. I believe fiercely in the power of kindness, empathy, and really good quality chocolate. When I'm not knee-deep in glittery crafts and girl talk, you can probably find me sprawled out on my couch in the middle of a Netflix marathon with dark chocolate smeared on my face. The struggle is real. 
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