DIY Christmas gifts for husband

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is by far my favorite season. I’m already starting to plan out some fun activities for my family and friends to get together during our Christmas break. One tradition that has become a favorite of mine over the years, is Christmas caroling and a party afterwards with hot chocolate, treats, and lots of fun memories with our loved ones! We always hope for a white Christmas (and usually get it here in Idaho) so I decided to plan a “snowy woods” party theme for this year’s event. I will be sharing several ideas for party decor, a delicious recipe, and party favors using the classic glass bottles of Coca-Cola from Sam’s Club. Everything turned out so cute!

This face pretty much says it all! I will start by sharing an easy recipe that is perfect for your family gatherings this holiday season, or even a spontaneous after-school snack for the kids. I’ve always wanted to try the “cake in a mug” idea to see if it really works. Well, it does! What could be better than a warm chocolate cake that’s ready in just a few minutes? I adapted this recipe to create a Coca-Cola Chocolate Cake in a mug. YUM.

4 Ingredient Coca-Cola Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 1/4 C. powdered sugar
- 1 and 1/2 TBSP. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 TBSP. Coca-Cola (from the bottle is best!)
*Make this recipe in a standard size mug. (You can easily double it for a larger mug or if you want more cake!)

Directions:
In your mug, crack egg and add powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Mix together with a small whisk in the mug until well-blended. Cook in the microwave for 55 seconds, don’t overcook! Now comes the fun part, add desired toppings while the cake is still warm. Some of our favorites are: mini chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, whipped cream, or pour a spoonful of half and half over the top of the cake while it’s hot. This is my personal happy moment!

This is what it looks like when you are stirring all the ingredients together. Here’s the finished cake:

For the party, I thought it would be fun to have a “Hot Chocolate Cake” bar with lots of toppings to choose from.

We had chocolate chips, crushed candy cane, marshmallow creme, whipped cream, and half and half. Christmas sprinkles would be fun too!

For a caroling party, I try to keep things simple by asking everyone to bring a plate of cookies to share.

Also make sure to have some refreshing drinks for your guests– cold Coca-Cola for the adults and milk in the glass Coke bottles for the kids. I love the look of the glass bottles and was able to find a holiday pack of 24 bottles of Coke de Mexico Coca-Cola at my local Sam’s Club. This Coca-Cola is made with real sugar and no high fructose corn syrup, so I feel like that’s a better choice for my friends & family! If you’re looking for the 2-liter bottles of regular Coke or Diet Coke, you can find those in-club also in a special 4-pack.

For the main party tablescape, I wanted to create a snowy woods scene using some mini trees, lots of buffalo snow, and featuring some of the beautiful glass Coca-Cola bottles. I used a plaid throw as a tablecloth, a wooden shelf I had in the closet, and some rustic wood slices from the craft store as my tablescape base. Then I added my favorite DIY project from the party… these snowy candlestick bottles!

Didn’t they turn out fun?? They are so simple to make!

Start with a clean, empty Coca-Cola glass bottle. Add about a cup of buffalo snow from the craft store into the bottle using a funnel. You will need to use something long and skinny like a metal or wooden skewer to get the snow to go through the funnel.

When you are done, add a tapered candle inside (I used 10″ white tapers for mine.) That’s it! They look beautiful, even before they are lit!

In a few of the bottles, I added a small bottle brush tree inside on top of the snow. It creates a snow globe feel and it’s really fun. Don’t they look pretty all lit up?

Another fun idea you can do with the bottles is to create a DIY snow globe, using the same method to add snow inside, a mini bottle brush tree, and then secure the top with a cork. Didn’t they turn out cute?

If you are looking for an easy neighbor or teacher gift for Christmas, check out this adorable Movie Night basket:

I dressed the Coke bottles up as a Mr. and Ms. for their cozy date night!

The “Baby It’s Cold Outside” tag sets the scene for a romantic evening inside together. You can find this tag design and a ton of other cute prints at Caravan Shoppe.

Here’s a few last looks at our party ideas, I hope I’ve shared something that inspires you this holiday season!

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