Hot Chocolate

I've never been much of a hot chocolate (hot cocoa) fan. I grew up preferring cold beverages (unless you're talking about soup, then hot is better), but I also didn't like coffee, tea, chocolate milk, cola, or beer until I was well past the legal age for each.

So I never really cared for hot chocolate... until last weekend.

Last weekend Princess Melawesome and I were walking around the Fashion Mall because we often do on the weekends. They have been building their Christmas Season Spirit since the day after Halloween. I don't wholly approve of this because I love Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas and think each should get a full chunk of the calendar to itself, but it's hard to resist Christmas music, decorations, etc. when they're plastered all over everything you see.

We were walking around, taking it all in (reluctantly) when we saw a group of girl scouts just inside the middle doorway of Pottery Barn. They surrounded a folding table on which there was everything you need to make a gourmet hot chocolate. It was mainly to raise money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital . I am all for charity that helps children. So we decided to donate some money and ordered a couple cups.

There were about 8 girl scouts and each of them had a job. They asked what we would like in/on our hot chocolates. We ordered two with everything. Their eyes got wide. Apparently no one had asked for one with everything yet. They worked eagerly and efficiently: one girl poured out the cocoa mix, one added hot water, one added marshmallows, one added cinnamon, one carefully unwrapped our candy canes and added those, and one stared off into space absentmindedly ringing a bell.

In the end they handed us these:

Thanked us, and we were on our way.

My heart is still bursting at the seams with Christmas joy from this experience. They were so earnest in their jobs; making hot chocolate (a drink most people loved) in order to raise money for a great cause.

I wish I could thank those girl scouts for giving me the first in what I hope is a full season of heart-warming Christmas memories for 2014, but it would probably come off as a little creepy and old-guy weird. So I decided to just tell all of you.

It's safe to say that I am officially converted. I now love hot chocolate.