Warm up with a holiday beverage station
Holiday entertaining means longer evenings. Friends and family gather and linger over conversation and dessert, and early sunsets make it seem cozier inside than out. A holiday beverage station is a decorative way to keep your guests — or your own family — comfortable and warm this season. Whether you’re focusing your energy on a cocoa bar or a beverage station with a variety of warm options — plus dessert — a few simple additions can take your beverage and dessert station from practical to perfect.
A hot cocoa bar can become part of your holiday decorating tradition
The Christmas Home Tour at Unexpected Elegance shows how a hot cocoa bar can be incorporated into your holiday decorating. With all of the fixings for hot cocoa — and enough mugs for friends — the dining room is a welcoming, cozy place during the holiday season. The framed chalkboard art makes the beverage station a focal point of the room. Download chalkboard art prints for the holidays to keep your Christmas decor consistent through your home.
Mighty Leaf Tea is a fantastic addition to your beverage menu
Hot cocoa and steaming coffee are always represented on holiday beverage menus, but Mighty Leaf Tea is a welcome addition to a hot beverage bar. Their whole tea leaves are delicately sewed into compostable pouches large enough for the leaves, herbs, and spices to unfurl in the hot water. The tags note the caffeine level and brew time for each type of tea, guaranteeing you won’t inadvertently over-caffeinate before bedtime. Try the Holiday Collection Tea Chest to sample some of their seasonally-appropriate teas.
Add to the festive spirit with a hot beverage station
Hot apple cider turns a hot chocolate station to a holiday beverage table at Cre8tive Designs. The details on this festive holiday drink station are exquisite, and all of the tasty toppings can turn your hot cocoa into dessert. In addition to hot cider, chai tea is another way to infuse your warm drink with the seasonal flavors and spices that feel festive during the holidays. Mighty Leaf Tea offers two delicious tea recipes to impress your guests.
Hot Apple Chai from Mighty Leaf Tea
- 1 Mighty Leaf Tea Bombay Chai tea pouch
- 2 cups apple cider, not from concentrate
- ½ tsp whole cloves
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground
- 1 ½ broken cinnamon sticks
- 1 small orange
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Steep tea pouch in 12 oz hot water for 4 minutes. Pour tea into medium sized pot. Add the apple juice, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cinnamon sticks. Muddle the orange into the pot then drop in the orange peels too. Simmer on stovetop for 15 minutes for richer flavor. Serve.
Vanilla Bean Tea Latte from Mighty Leaf Tea
- 6 oz Mighty Leaf Tea Vanilla Bean
- 6 oz milk or soy
- ½ agave nectar/sugar (optional)
Steep one Vanilla Bean Tea Pouch in 6 oz. of boiling water for 5-6 minutes. While tea steeps, froth 6 oz heated milk or soy. Add agave nectar/sugar to taste. Stir and enjoy! Substitute Mighty Leaf Tea Organic African Nectar or Bombay Chai for a twist on this recipe.
What is your favorite part of holiday entertaining?
Comments
I love this idea – great for any holiday gathering and also great for a kids drink station!
This looks SO lovely! I don’t do much entertaining anymore, but I used to host a holiday brunch for my girlfriends every year. So fun.
What a great idea to have a beverage station! Beautiful and convenient, and it can be used for a tea, coffee, hot chocolate or ciders. I love Mighty Leaf tea pouches and aromas!
This is so cute. I love how warm and festive this is.
What a great idea. I’m going to do this on Christmas!