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Newtonmas: Take a moment to appreciate gravity and the laws of motion. If there’s snow outside, have a snowball fight with a friend or a member of your family. –OR– Take some time out to enjoy the alchemical goodness of a hot toddy or chocolate or any drink that relies on basic chemistry/alchemy (coffee with cream or sugar/tea with milk or sugar or lemon, etc.). Post a picture of your libations and the recipe if it’s unique and you’re ok with sharing it.

Saint Lucia’s Day: Get your Hygge on — light a few candles if you’ve got them, pour yourself a glass of wine or hot chocolate/toddy, roast a marshmallow or toast a crumpet, and take a picture of your cosiest reading place.

Well, these two tasks do go quite well together, don’t they?

First for Newtonmas. I can’t really call it a recipe because it really is just hot chocolate and flavoured syrup but that won’t stop me from posting pictures.

One thing I always stuff my suitcase with when I’m on holidays in the UK or Ireland is peppermint chocolate. Germany is severely lacking in that aspect. Yes, there’s After Eight and Ritter Sport but that’s not that much choice. And I’ve never seen peppermint hot chocolate anywhere in Germany…and since it’s been a while since my last trip to the UK and I’ve already used up all the chocolate I bought there I have to improvise with peppermint syrup and cocoa powder. Dark chocolate because that is clearly the superior one 😛 .

(Moose optional. His name is Flen, by the way.)

The milk does actually turn slightly green when you add the syrup but it doesn’t really show in the picture…

Try to keep away from creatures that might also enjoy peppermint hot chocolate so you can have all for yourself.

Take to your cosiest reading spot with your handmade t-shirt quilt made from all your band-, festival- and other commemorative t-shirts. Try not to sit on moose. Curse because you could have taken the water bottle out of the picture. Enjoy hot chocolate.

Part of the 16 Tasks of the Festive Season