The weather’s perfect to get into your jammies and sip on some hot chocolate but if you’d rather make a little party out of it, then Cristina Riches of BirdsParty.com has just the most delicious ideas for styling a hot cocoa bar.

How to style a hot cocoa bar:

·         Keep it casual with white serving pieces and ware from every day use. Plain white mugs, bowls and platters can be transformed
          with the help of printable party tags and decor

·         Use what you have at home to bring the decor together. Work with brown and beige colour scheme with dashes of white to keep
          things neutral and fresh

·         Add a paper bunting for a touch of fun to the ensemble. You can put it together easily with the help of a few wooden pegs and
          strings

·         Prepare a large pot of hot chocolate and decant into a cocoa carafe. If you have the space, then vary the flavours with white-hot
          chocolate too! Don't forget to label each pot if you're having more than one flavour.

·         Set your sprinkles in dainty bowls, and label each spoon with a printable tag so guests can help themselves and customise their own
          cocoa. You can display them atop a wooden cheese board

·         Chocolate spoons add a touch of fun and are simply delicious! You can get the spoon moulds from any baking supply store. For an
          easier version, simply dip your everyday teaspoons into melted hot chocolate and let it set onto parchment paper

·         Have a few alcoholic mixers handy, so your guests can spike their cocoa and turn it into a hot toddy!

And while you are setting this up, you can put that pot to simmer with Cristina’s foolproof, hot cocoa recipe (Serves 4)

4 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup double cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup grated, unsweetened dark chocolate (or choco chips) and a pinch of salt

Stir ingredients together except cream, and heat until chocolate has melted and mixture comes to a boil. Turn heat down and stir in the cream. Whisk until warm and frothy – do not boil!  Then serve at once.