Christmas Caroling & Cocoa Party

I’m dropping in really quickly today to share a Christmas Caroling & Cocoa party from my sweet friend, Elissa Stone. Do you go Christmas caroling? I’ve always loved the idea – it seems so nostalgic and old fashioned, in a good way!

I know Elissa is quite the song bird so I’m not surprised that caroling is a tradition for her. Check out these lovely photos for inspiration and read Elissa’s description below…

From Elissa: “When I was growing up, my family started a tradition that grew into something very special and memorable. We started with a small group of friends and caroled around our neighborhood. Each year, the group got larger and larger and by high school, many of my chorus friends joined in on the fun. Spreading good cheer and spending time with friends and family; what could be more important than that?

Time went on and our tradition became a memory, until I decided to start a new tradition with my own family and new friends. This rustic industrial hot cocoa bar is just my style and I wanted to kick off our tradition in our new neighborhood by letting our friends know that they will want to be sure not to miss our yearly event.

I had lyric booklets printed and a little lantern craft for the kiddos to do while we waited for everyone to arrive. They were plastic cups that the kids embellished with holiday stickers and LED tealights. The marshmallow snowmen were a hit with both the kids and the adults. The homemade gingerbread men were decorated by my little one, to keep him involved in the festivities. All my parties are nut free to accommodate my son’s food allergy and with the exception of the adult beverages, all the cocoa bar items were made by us or store bought and nut safe.

I highly recommend starting this fun holiday tradition if you don’t already have one! You don’t have to be a great singer to do this. As a group, it is all about the sentiment. You and your family will make great new memories every year! And the look of surprise on your neighbors’ faces is totally worth it! People don’t expect to see carolers these days and you are sure to brighten someone’s night.”

Event Design & Styling: Elissa Stone www.onestoneevents.com

Photography: Lauren Detzel