DIY Peppermint Hot Chocolate Party Favors

'Tis the season for parties and celebrations! Since it is far too easy to get carried away with decorations and gourmet desserts (thank you, Pinterest), we can't help but love simple party favors. There's something sweet about handing your guests a little "thank you for coming" as they head home. After all, they're the ones who make the party!

At our recent Favorite Things Party, we gave each of our friends a spice jar filled with homemade hot cocoa mix, complete with a candy cane stir stick. It was a fun and festive way to bid them goodnight and Merry Christmas! Best of all, it was little more than stirring and assembling.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate in a Spice Jar

What You Need

• Spice Jars - We found these at World Market for about 50 cents a piece, thanks to a couple of coupons! They are usually $1 a piece.
• Candy Canes with the "hook" broken off, so they become stir sticks
• Tags - We printed them on pearly paper then used a paper puncher
• Ribbon to tie
• Ghiradelli Baking Cocoa (or any good quality cocoa)
• Sugar
• Salt

What You Do

• Mix the chocolate, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. We used this recipe from Martha Stewart, and it was perfect, enough to fill about 20 jars. Fill each spice jar almost to the top.
• Using scissors, cut/break the "hook" off the candy cane.
• Secure the candy cane stick to the jar with a ribbon.
• Tie on your tag.
• Each jar makes a large cup of extra chocolatey hot cocoa. Empty jar into 1.5 cups of heated milk. Yum!

We love that this favor can be adjusted to fit all kinds of parties and seasons! You could do a spiced chai for Thanksgiving or a cinnamon hot chocolate for Valentine's Day. Any other ideas for changing up this sweet little thing?