A fun treat to have in your home over the Holiday season is a special area where everyone can make their own hot drink – a hot chocolate station! You can create a hot chocolate bar on a budget by using recycled jars, dollar store products and things you already have on hand. Your kids (and you!) will love this. Let me show you how!

My three daughters were SO excited when I set this hot chocolate station up for them in our dining room! It was so easy to create, and didn’t cost me much at all.

Having a dedicated hot chocolate station over the Christmas break as a fun idea, but I didn’t want to spend a ton of money to make one. I knew that if I scoured our kitchen and my DIY supplies, I could create something with many items we already had on hand!

I styled this on the sideboard in my dining room, but this would also work on a kitchen countertop or kitchen island.

You will need:

• Recycled pasta & pickle jars with lids
• Festive baker’s twine
• Small crates, narrow boxes and/or a bread pan to use as shelves
• Mugs
• Hot chocolate mix
• Coffee beans
• Can of whipped cream
• Bottles of caramel syrup, chocolate syrup, or sauces if desired
• Hot chocolate toppings like mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, sprinkles, candy canes, caramels, chocolate, toffee bits, peppermint candy & cinnamon
• Fairy lights
• Electric kettle or espresso machine
• Napkins & cutlery

How to Make This Hot Chocolate Bar on a Budget

I set our little hot drink station up by my espresso machine on our dining room sideboard. First, I used some old pasta and pickle jars to store hot cocoa mix, coffee grounds, and marshmallows. I tied a bow around each one with baker’s twine. 

To give the jars height, I set them on top of an upside-down planter box. In front of that, I put some espresso mugs on and upside-down old bread pan. I created the “Fa la la la” letters with my Cricut and gold glitter vinyl I had on hand. I love how these turned out. A can of whipped cream by the jars is a hot cocoa bar essential!

You could also use a tray to corral all of your jars and cups together.

Then, I set a row of smaller recycled glasses and jars in front of that, and filled them with chocolate cookie sticks, cinnamon sticks, tea bags and caramels. A little jar of sprinkles, a jar of candy canes, and some serving spoons were also added to the mix. (Psssst! Candy canes make fabulous stir sticks for your festive cup of hot chocolate!)

I keep my espresso machine full of water for my little latte addiction, so the girls can easily use the hot water from the machine for their hot chocolate creations.

Finally, I added some cutlery and napkins to the DIY hot cocoa bar. The decorations on this little DIY hot chocolate bar are kept simple: a faux cedar wreath on hung on the wall, some faux cedar stems around the mason jars, some gingerbread houses, and some twinkle lights for a little sparkle and shine.

We’re already enjoying using this little area, and it will be such a fun treat over our break these next couple of weeks! This is also a fun little area to setup for any Holiday party for all of your guests to enjoy.

Let me know in the comments below if you’ll try this easy hot chocolate station idea. I hope it brings you Holiday cheer!

Watch my YouTube video on how I made this inexpensive hot chocolate station:

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Another Hot Chocolate Station Idea

Make a Hot Chocolate Station from a Caddy

When I saw this neat looking galvanized caddy, I knew exactly what I was going to turn it into – a cute little vintage looking hot chocolate station! I simply filled each compartment of the caddy with a coffee filter, and then filled each with some different things that could go with or make hot chocolate.