Throw the Ultimate ESPN College Football party for The Playoff!

You rooted all season and now it’s time for the big finale!

If you’re a Buckeye, a Sooner, a Clemson Tiger or an LSU Tiger you’re probably already planning on tuning in, but whether or not your team made it to the College Football Playoff this year, you can ALL enjoy delicious food and drinks with your family, friends, and fellow college football fans. Get together for a day of back-to-back semifinal games live on ESPN on Saturday, December 28th and find out which teams will be facing off in The National Championship game next month!

Here are a few College Football Playoff party ideas you can create at home (or even contribute to a friend’s bash!):

Create a DIY “Drink the Competition” Punch Bowl Bar
We know the four teams that will be battling it out in the semifinal games, but you can also host your own bowl—a punch bowl!-- at home with colorful College Football Playoff themed cocktails.

These bowl rules are up to you! Tell your guests to pick their favorite team’s drink or let them opt to “drink the competition.” Make the drinks and garnishes ahead of time and serve DIY style in punch bowls or pitchers so that nobody has to miss any of the action on the screen.

In this year’s College Football Playoff only on ESPN, Oklahoma will face LSU in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and Ohio State will play Clemson in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl. Serve your own favorite team-inspired drinks, or get inspired by the festive CFP cocktails I’ve created below:


OKLAHOMA

With star QB transfer Jalen Hurts leading the way now wearing Crimson for the Sooners, I knew we needed a star element--like homemade rum-soaked cherries--in this deep crimson party punch celebrating Oklahoma. You can make the cherries a day or two in advance, but wait until gameday to mix up the rest of the cocktail. You’ll go from the #4 ranked underdog to gameday champ with this one!

Cherry Sooner Spritz
Serves 8


Ingredients
For the rum-soaked cherries:
1 cup dark rum
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 cups fresh or frozen & thawed cherries, stems and pits removed

For the cocktail:
4 cups sweetened pomegranate or cranberry juice
2 cups dark rum
1/2 cup lime juice
2 cups cherry seltzer
Ice

Directions
Make the cherries: in a small saucepan, combine rum, water, and sugar and bring to a simmer, stirring just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add the cherries, and let soak at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.

Make the drink: Combine pomegranate or cranberry juice, dark rum, lime juice, and seltzer in a punch bowl or pitcher. Add ice and half the soaked cherries. Serve additional cherries on the side for garnishing.

LSU

Whether your guests are “geaux-ing” for the top-ranked Tigers or not, everyone will be a fan of this easy purple and gold-inspired party cocktail.

Never made homemade blueberry lemonade before? Well it’s the perfect time to try something new in honor of LSU’s first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff and Joe Burrow becoming the first LSU QB to win the Heisman Trophy! (Promise this will take way less time and work than those impressive feats!)

TIP: If you want to offer up a family friendly drink, skip the vodka and let everyone enjoy this festive purple lemonade

LSU Spiked Blueberry Lemonade
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup granulated sugar
6 cups water
1 1/2 cups vodka
1/4 teaspoon violet gel food coloring (optional, but enhances the purple shade of the drink!)
Ice
Garnish: fresh blueberries, lemon slices, lemon rind twists

Directions
Combine lemon juice, blueberries, sugar, and 1 cup water in a blender and puree until smooth and sugar is dissolved—about 2 minutes. Use a mesh sieve to strain into a large pitcher or punch bowl. Discard any seeds and solids caught in the pitcher. Stir in the remaining 5 cups water, vodka, and food coloring (if using). Chill until serving time.

Serve drinks over ice and garnish with blueberries, lemon slices, and/or lemon twists.

CLEMSON

The Tigers are going for back-to-back titles for the first time in the CFP era and your guests are also sure to go back for seconds of this winning drink!

If you can’t find blood orange juice for this easy margarita recipe, you can substitute regular orange juice and just add a “Dabo” of red food coloring or grenadine to get that perfect shade of Clemson orange.

Make the purple salt for this easy margarita in advance of game day, then garnish just before serving.

Clemson Blood Orange Margaritas
Serves 8

Ingredients
For the purple salt
1/3 cup kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon violet gel food coloring

For the margaritas
2 cups blood orange juice (fresh or bottled)
1 cup fresh lime juice
2 cups gold tequila
1/4 cup orange liqueur (such as triple sec or cointreau)

Ice for serving

Directions
Combine salt and gel food coloring in a zipped plastic baggie. Close the baggie, then use your hands to massage the food color into the salt until it is evenly distributed and the salt is purple. (Can be made in advance. Store in a sealed container in a cool dry place. Will keep indefinitely.)

Make the margaritas. In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine blood orange juice, lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur. Chill.

To serve, rub outside of cup or glass with lemon wedge or water and dip into the purple salt. Fill cup with ice and pour in margarita.

OHIO STATE

Dominate your game day party like Chase Young and the Buckeyes have dominated all season with this undefeated cocktail! (Just please don’t tackle your guests!).

Maple syrup adds a smoky sweetness to this bright scarlet cocktail that pairs perfectly with the also very-necessary peanut butter buckeyes.

O-H!!! I-O!!!

Maple Cranberry Buckeye Sippers
Serves 8

Ingredients
4 cups cranberry juice
2 cups cranberry vodka
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups seltzer

Directions
Combine cranberry juice, lemon juice, and maple syrup in a blender and puree 2 minutes, or until maple syrup is fully incorporated into the juice. Pour into a pitcher with the vodka and seltzer. Serve over ice garnished with cranberries (and peanut butter buckeyes on the side!).

Build an Epic College Football Playoff Party Grazing Table

After years of bowl games where champions were decided by pollsters, the College Football Playoff finally allows for the National Champion to be crowned on the field! What could be better than getting together with friends to watch the 4 best teams battle it out for the right to play in the National Championship game in New Orleans on January 13th? With a marathon of 2 heavyweight games back-to-back on ESPN, The College Football Playoff deserves an EPIC party spread!

Swap the usual game day buffet for this EPIC grazing table featuring everyone’s favorite tailgate snacks.

Grazing tables have been a hot party trend on Pinterest all year and are perfect for a full day of casual gameday eating. Unlike with a regular party buffet, grazing tables call for two things--abundance and organized chaos! Let food overflow out of bowls and tumble over each other, and mix and match your savory and sweet snacks. They’re easy for entertaining because you can combine a few of your favorite homemade dishes with easy store-bought items like chips, dips, charcuterie, and sweets. This large and impressive spread is an ideal way to keep everyone fed and happy throughout the entire exciting day!

Follow these tips to create your own College Football Playoff grazing table:

Pick a Spot Near the Action
Choose a spot in the room where you’ll be watching the games. Grazing tables are designed for guests to linger over so it’s important to keep it where you want the crowd congregating—with a view of the TV tuned to ESPN! Use a sideboard, move the dining table into the living room, or even take over the coffee table for easy access all day.

Set the Table

A faux grass runner gives the table a fun, sporty feel (or swap in a dark green tablecloth as your “field”). Then top it with a variety of bowls, wooden boards, and serving platters in all shapes and sizes. A chafing dish or two is great for keeping foods like wings or meatballs hot throughout the party.

Add Team Colors
Cocktail napkins, paper plates, and paper straws in team color combinations help bring the theme to life. Rep your favorite team, or make everyone feel welcome with something for each of the teams on the field.

Add Color with Food, too!

I love to pick snacks that match the teams. For this year’s lineup, I added sweet and savory treats in shades of yellow and purple for LSU, orange and purple for Clemson, crimson for Oklahoma, and (of course!) plenty of homemade peanut butter buckeys for Ohio State.

The supermarket is already a rainbow—think about the colors you’re working with and add items to match: berries, bell peppers, rainbow carrots, grapes, cheese crackers, wrapped candies, and fruity bars and pies are just a few easy and creative ways you can celebrate your favorite college teams.

Football Faves

Think beyond the usual charcuterie board standbys and add in fun snacks like pizza bites, soft pretzels, pigs in a blanket, mini egg rolls, and more.

I like to include at least one substantial dish like pulled pork or a glazed spiral ham alongside a pile of slider rolls, and plenty of condiments for guests to DIY their own mini sandwiches.

Start Plating

Start plating food a couple hours before the party by adding the items that keep the longest or require zero prep—bowls of chips, crackers, candy and wrapped sweets, etc. As it gets closer to party time, you can fill in with fresh fruit and crudité, cheese, dips. Wait to add hot prepared foods (or items that are best served cold) until just before the first guest arrives.

Keep it Fresh

Use damp paper towels over fresh fruit, cheese, and veggies to keep them from drying out while building your grazing table. Remove them just before the guests arrive.

Refill as Needed
The beauty of the grazing table is that guests can help themselves while you get to watch the game and enjoy the party, but if you’d like, you can keep extra dips, crackers, cut-up veggies and other refills prepped and ready in the fridge to refresh the table during commercial breaks.

And there you have it! The ideal combo of drinks and food to keep you fed and festive all gameday long.

For more easy gameday party recipes and entertaining ideas, check out my Ultimate College Football Playoff Party board on Pinterest. And visit ESPN.com for all the College Football Playoff news and highlights.

This post is sponsored by ESPN in collaboration with Pinterest. Thank you for supporting the partners who make it possible for me to keep bringing you more great recipes and party ideas!

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How to Throw the Ultimate All-Dessert Party

The name of my blog should be a pretty big clue that I never need special excuses or reasons to bring a little sweetness into my life. But upon learning that October is also known as National Dessert Month, I decided an All-Dessert Party for grown-ups definitely needed to happen.

If you’ve been looking for ideas to host your friends in a fun, low-key way, this is totally it!

Here are some ideas for making it happen:

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Coconut Mango Couscous Salad (+ Ideas for a Tropical Fall Party Menu!)

This weekend, I invited a few of my favorite people over for a cozy and relaxed Fall lunch party at home. After a busy summer, it felt really great to finally relax and catch-up with friends over delicious food and drinks.

My party menu was inspired by a new product I've been working with this season called Dole Fruit n' Spice, which is a line of spiced frozen fruit that combines fruit like mangos, pineapple, and apples with spices like chili and cinnamon. It's a new product and I hadn't heard about it until I started working with them, but I'm genuinely obsessed with how good they are, and with all the ways you can use them to make both sweet and savory recipes.

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3 #Squadgoal Parties to Host this Fall

Saying good-bye to summer has never been easy for me, but I'm slowly starting to get into the spirit. From comfort food and apple cider donuts to cute new outfits and being able to maintain a blow-out in the crisp, humidity-free air, I reluctantly admit that Autumn does have its charms.

And one of my favorites is that I can start entertaining again!

I'm not sure how it is in your circle, but in mine, summer is always such a blur of travel, weddings, and beach weekends. Nobody ever seems to be in town at the same time, and finding days when everyone can get together is always a challenge. But Fall brings with it a welcome return to routine--and the perfect opportunity to bring your faves together for some much-needed girl time.

This month, I paired up with the cool folks at Barefoot Wine & Bubbly to share with you three of my favorite low-key ways to catch-up with friends and entertain during these cozy autumn months:

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A Rustic Winter Baby Shower

Last month, I hosted a winter baby shower for one of my favorite people in the whole world--my best friend Mónica. Would you like to see pictures?

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How to Host a Tiki Party

There are only a few things I love more than a theme party. Especially when it gives me an excuse to dress up in something festive. This year, I got my friends to dig out their prettiest tropical sundresses and Hawaiian shirts for some Polynesian-themed revelry at my Retro Tiki Party.

Scroll down below to see how I pulled it together, and get some inspiration for your next celebration!

The Drinks

The idea to throw this party came about while brainstorming themes for my ongoing "Summer of Punch" recipe collaboration with Smirnoff this year. I've always wanted to throw a retro tiki-style party, and since tiki parties are all about the fun tropical punch drinks, it was a perfect match!

I started out by researching classic tiki cocktails. Typically made with spirits like rum, I mixed things up a bit and created vodka versions that highlighted some of my favorite Smirnoff flavors.

My party bar featured three updated tiki cocktail punches. The overall favorite was definitely the Blue Raspberry Island Punch, made with Smirnoff Raspberry, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, blue curacao, and soda.

I also made a Peach and Passion Fruit Mai Tai using Smirnoff Peach and a Vodka Pina Colada Punch using classic Smirnoff No. 21.

I served the punches in a mix of punch bowls and beverage dispensers with cups, ice, cocktail umbrellas, and garnishes on the side for DIY serving. It's such a relaxed and low-key way to host a party because it allows guests to help themselves while I can focus on food and greeting guests.

Setting up the Tiki Bar

It's always smart to separate your food and drinks as it allows for more flow in your party space. This is especially important if, like me, you're entertaining in an apartment or other small space.

I set my bar in my office, which is just off the main party room.

I started off with a plain surface (in this case, my cleared-off desk!) and covered it with some neutral colored scarves to add texture and color.

I used stacks of books and blocks to add a variety of height to the bar, and added interesting touches like a cute hula girl bottle opener and a vintage style metal Tiki bar sign I found at a discount store.

Set up your punch bowls and other bar accessories ahead of time, then fill them with the beverages at the very last minute. This will save you time, and help keep the drinks cool before guests arrive.

Tiki mugs are a must for any tiki party. You can find real vintage ones at thrift stores or online shops. You can also find sets of inexpensive modern reproductions at party stores. I paid about $3 to $5 each for my mugs.

TIP: Don't feel like you need to buy one for every guest--even just a few to use as decoration (or to hold things like straws, cutlery, or cocktail stirrers) is enough to give it that classic tiki party feel!


The Food

Have fun with the food, but definitely keep it simple. I decided to add a modern twist by making my party a "Tiki Taco Party."

This allowed me to have a mix of fun, but easy dishes that satisfied all my guests. I broke the menu up into Polynesian or pu-pu platter style appetizers and snacks, with a DIY taco bar for the main course.

I created a fun (but easy! I promise!) Pineapple Chutney Cheese Ball that I shaped like a pineapple and decorated with pecans and the real crown from an actual pineapple. Served with plantain chips and rice crackers, it was a popular appetizer that also added to that retro, kitschy atmosphere.

A couple hot appetizers that can be prepped in advance and finished just before serving are always a hit. I went with simple Chinese-Style Pork Spare-Ribs and Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Pineapple Bites, which are a riff on a retro rumaki appetizer.

For the DIY Taco Bar, I offered a choice of roasted and pulled pork, ancho-pomegranate brisket, and a simple black bean and corn salad, as well as blue and yellow corn tortillas.

The meat was easy to prepare a few days in advance in my slow cooker and then reheated just before serving. Anytime you can do stuff in advance for a party, do it! You will be so thankful you did!

For the DIY taco bar toppings I set out bowls of my homemade restaurant-style salsa and homemade pineapple salsa (served in a pineapple bowl!).

I also added some simple toppings like salted red cabbage slaw, cumin-spiced sour cream, cilantro, chopped red onions, guacamole, and cotija cheese.

With a big meal like this, you don't really need a big dessert, but a little something sweet to end the night is always a good idea!

I made these easy Guava Coconut Crumb Bars and set out some additional fresh cut pineapple and watermelon for snacking.

Decorations

Don't feel like you have to spend a lot of money buying fancy decorations! I always recommend looking around your house for objects you already own to create the perfect party scene or tablescape.

Bamboo placemats or table runners, colorful tablecloths or floral napkins can all be pulled into service for this theme.

Another tip?

Just about any souvenir you've ever bought on an island, or beach vacation could work for this party theme. Think about things like large conch shells, sand dollars, stoneware, wooden bowls or serving pieces, or colorful scarves.

If you've ever stayed in a tropical resort or hotel, you might have noticed that it always smells amazing from the minute you step inside.

I like to mimic that with a sweet-smelling coconut or hibiscus candle burning in the bathroom or entryway. Such a subtle touch, but I promise you it really makes an impact.


Add Color with Tropical Fruit and Flowers

My absolute favorite decorative touch is natural tropical fruits. Pineapples, coconuts, bananas, and other tropical fruits make amazing natural and affordable decorations.

I bought a few of each and scattered them around the room.

(The pineapples smell amazing, too, and add to that wonderful island feel.)

The best part? You can chop them up for an amazing fruit salad (or more cocktails!) the next day.

Leis and flower necklaces for your guests are a must for any tiki or Polynesian-themed party, and they're incredibly affordable.

I was able to buy two dozen silk lei necklaces from a party store for about $10 and kept them by my door. I gave one to each guest as he or she arrived.

(Yes...even Hudson Riverton got one!)

I also went to a local 99-cent store and bought a few stems of silk hibiscus flowers that I cut down and used both for table decorations and to give to my guests to tuck into their hair.


The Perfect Tiki Party Playlist

Finally (and possibly most important of all!) don't forget the music! Every tiki party needs an amazing playlist. You can check out streaming sites for a premade one.

The genre of music best associated with tiki parties is called "Exotica," which is a super fun and weird mix of tropical sounds with beach and wild animal noises. Look up artists like Martin Denny for a perfect example of this.

Other songs and musicians to consider include: Don Ho (of course!), Elvis Presley (especially the soundtrack to the movie Blue Hawaii!), Henry Mancini for great jazzy lounge music, Louis Prima's version of I Wanna Be Like You from The Jungle Book, The Beach Boys, Santo & Johnny, The Tornadoes, and The Polynesians.

I hope that this inspires you to throw your own tiki theme party!

For more fun summer cocktail recipes and ideas, follow Smirnoff and the hashtag #Punch4Everybody on Instagram and Facebook, and check out their fun party boards on Pinterest!


This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Smirnoff for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.
Please remember to always drink responsibly!

Blue Raspberry Island Punch Cocktail
Serves 12

Ingredients
2 cups Smirnoff Raspberry
1/4 cup blue curaçao
4 cups canned chilled pineapple juice
2 14oz cans cream of coconut 1 liter chilled club soda

Directions
Whisk together all ingredients except club soda in a large punch bowl. Add 4 cups ice and top off with club soda.

Serve with additional ice on side

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Inspired Entertaining: Planning a Cozy Winter Brunch

With all the talk about grand New Year's Resolutions, I have an easy idea for you. Pick out a day in early January--maybe one day during that first or second weekend--and invite a few friends over for a cozy winter brunch. 

I mean it! (And I'm doing it, too.)

Here's what we're going to do: Call up the friends that you meant to meet up with during the holidays, but never got around to seeing. And the ones you wish you could have spent time with, were you not out of town visiting your own relatives.

And it'll be the New Year, after all, so take risks. That guy at work you've had your eye on? Or that neighbor you always wave at, with whom you'd like to become friends?

Why not?! Make this the year you go for it--no better excuse than brunch!

What I love about entertaining after the holidays, is that the pressure is off.

People are already pretty partied out, so they're more interested in sharing with you than in taking part in some big elaborate bash. And all the expectations of the holidays--the traditional recipes, decorations, gifts--they're all gone, gone, gone...

It's a blank slate and yours to do with what you'd like.

So let's do something, fun, OK?

I'm excited to have partnered with Starbucks to host a casual little get together for my own friends and family in early January. It's going to be a low-key brunch--think cozy sweaters, big mugs of coffee, and a menu of simple, comforting dishes.

I'll be serving coffee from Starbucks new line of flavored K-Cup packs, which come in Vanilla and Caramel flavors. I love how easy it is to just pop the little K-Cup in my new Keurig® Special Edition Brewing System, and have a mug of freshly brewed coffee ready in seconds.

Starbucks K-Cups are perfect for entertaining because it makes it easy to serve each guest a perfect cup of Starbucks coffee in his or her favorite flavor or blend. Seriously...it's like having my own little coffee shop right at home!

Oh and bonus: They make my apartment smell incredible! Eugene actually came home while I was making myself a mug of the Starbucks® Vanilla K-Cup®, and asked if I had a cake in the oven. That is how good this coffee smells!

As far as the menu goes, the idea is to keep it casual and simple, but just a touch more exciting than the usual weekend breakfast. I suggest figuring out your usual favorite brunch dishes, and then adding a simple twist.

Here are a few brunch menu ideas I'm working on, which you can use for your own inspiration:

• Instead of plain orange juice, serve a blend of citrus juices. You can make them freshly squeezed if you have a juicer, or just buy a variety of the best quality juices you can find at the store (look for the kinds with pulp) and mix them up in a big pitcher or carafe. I love to combine grapefruit, blood orange, lemon, and tangerine for a bright, tart (and pretty!) beverage. 

• Waffles or pancakes are a classic, but why not change it up a bit by using nutty buckwheat flour instead of the regular kind? Or add in a handful of finely minced fresh herbs for a savory twist on the traditional.

• Baked spiral ham is one of my absolute favorite brunch dishes, and so simple since it's already cooked and cut--all you have to do is heat it. Even better? Hams always go on sale after the Christmas season, so head to the grocery store, and pick one up now. (They keep well for weeks!)

• Something green is key (it's January, after all), so think about salads you can serve. I love a big mix of peppery winter leafy greens topped with sliced apples and pomegranate seeds. You can also add roasted root vegetables or candied nuts to make it a little extra special.

• And (most important of all!) dessert. My plan is to pick out a simple cake recipe--maybe a coffee cake or a vanilla pound cake to pair with the Vanilla flavored coffee--and bake it in  mini bundt or muffin pans. People love individual portions--especially in January when they're trying not to overindulge.

I hope this has inspired you to invite a few friends over and host your own winter celebration. Here's to a new year filled with special moments, flavors, and people!


This post is sponsored by Starbucks K-Cup Packs. Thank you for supporting great companies like Starbucks. that make it possible for me to keep creating fun new content for you to enjoy. All photos, opinions, and ideas are (of course!) my own. 

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Inspired Entertaining: A DIY Hot Chocolate Bar Party

I love winter in New York City.

The crisp air. The glittering lights in the trees. The excuse to bundle up in cute boots and cozy coats.

It really is a magical time of year, although I admit that the cold does get to me. As much as I love to spend a day out and about in the city shopping and ice skating with friends, it usually isn't long before I find myself craving a crackling fire and a mug of something warm and cozy.

And while there are plenty of restaurants where I could do just that, I much rather use it as an excuse to invite a few friends over and host a casual and cozy DIY Hot Chocolate Bar Party at home.

The first day of winter is just a few days away, and it's the perfect time to invite over a few friends and toast the start of this cozy season. As part of my ongoing entertaining series with Smirnoff, I thought I'd share a few of my tips and ideas for hosting a low-key winter hot chocolate bar party.

(And I really do mean simple!) Fancy signs and matchy-matchy labels are super cute for weddings or bridal showers, but I prefer something a little more casual that everyone can do.

No need to spend days planning. Just follow the easy tips below, and you and your friends will be toasting in no time!

Mugs

I start setting up my bar by gathering all my favorite mugs. They don't have to match. In fact, I think it's better when they don't!

Big ones. Small ones. Put out enough for everyone, plus a few extra in case people want seconds (or thirds!).

It's not necessary, but I added little drink flags and a marker so that your guests can identify their mugs.

You can even turn it into a contest later and have people vote on the most creative hot chocolate concoction!

Hot Chocolate

For my party, I set out two different kinds of hot chocolate. A regular dark hot chocolate and a creamy white vanilla hot chocolate.  Follow your favorite from-scratch recipe or go ahead and use a mix...I won't judge! :)

Since the point of the bar is for guests to personalize the flavors, I suggest keeping it very simple with basic flavors that guests can doctor up to their liking.

I prepared everything on the bar in advance, and kept the hot chocolate and other perishables in the fridge until my guests arrived. Once it was party time, I quickly warmed the chocolates up on the stove and poured into insulated carafes for serving.

You can also use a slow cooker or a coffee dispenser to keep everything nice and warm throughout the party.

Spike it Up

How to make hot chocolate even better? Add a little vodka! I love Smirnoff's confections line of flavored vodkas.

My favorite is Smirnoff Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka, which tastes like creamy vanilla whipped cream and is amazing with both dark and white hot chocolate.

I recommend putting out a few different flavors as part of your hot chocolate bar, so that guests can mix and match their favorites. As a guideline, guests should start by adding 1 to 1 ½ ounces of vodka per mug—I suggest leaving out a couple little measuring cups for easy reference—then follow with their favorite hot chocolate. 
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For this party, I featured Smirnoff Whipped Cream Flavored Vodka, Smirnoff Fluffed Marshmallow Flavored Vodka (which tastes like toasted marshmallows!), Smirnoff Kissed Caramel Flavored Vodka, and Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka.

You can also have fun with some fruit flavors—Smirnoff Raspberry vodka is incredible with dark chocolate, and the Smirnoff Pear vodka went really well with the white chocolate.

If you or your guests need a little additional inspiration, try one of the recipes I created for this party, like my Whipped Vanilla White Hot Chocolate with Cocoa Nibs or my Fluffernutter Hot Chocolate with Salted Peanuts.

What an incredible way to warm up after a chilly day out on the town!

Toppings

This is where you can have a lot of fun! Raid your pantry and fridge, and pull out anything you think could work well with hot chocolate.

Think things like chocolate chips, mini (or big!) marshmallows, crumbled cookies, maraschino cherries, roasted peanuts, coconut, and even fresh berries or diced fruit.

(Oooh...how good would banana be?!).

Small candies or sprinkles would work well, too. You might even want to pull out a few spices like cinnamon, cayenne (for a spicy hot chocolate!), and nutmeg.

A good flaky sea salt would be a nice touch.

Add a shaker filled with cinnamon and powdered sugar for dusting on top. 

Arrange each of the toppings in small bowls or glasses. Use vessels of different shapes and sizes to add height and variety to the table.

Whipped cream is obviously a must. You can either make your own from scratch, or just set out a chilled can of the store-bought kind.

And think of other things your guests might like to drizzle on top. I put out a jar of honey, a small bottle of maple syrup, some peppermint chocolate syrup, and some raw and maple sugar for sprinkling.

Stirrers

You can use paper straws or plastic stirrers, but also think about other edible options like candy canes, cinnamon sticks, pretzels, or wafer cookies.


Activities
As you've been out all day, it's best to keep the activities simple. Let your friends have fun creating different hot chocolate combinations, and then settle down on the couch or some cozy chairs to watch a movie or chat.

Take photos of the different creations and share them on Instagram or Facebook.

Party Favors

And, when the time comes to head home, you can send each of your guests home with a little jar of hot chocolate mix to continue the fun at home. This is my favorite recipe for a DIY Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix, but feel free to play around and make it your own by adding different flavors or candies.

Want more great Winter Entertaining ideas? 

Click on over to my DIY Hot Chocolate Bar Party Tips Board on Pinterest!

Or check out my eCookbook: The Puerto Rican Christmas Table with 40+ recipes and full-color photos.
 Click here to learn more!

Note: This post is sponsored by Smirnoff. Thank you for supporting great companies like Smirnoff that make it possible for me to keep creating fun new content for you to enjoy. All photos, opinions, and recipes are (of course!) my own. As always, please remember to drink responsibly!

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