A Holiday Pie Bar

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias Inc, and it's advertiser. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #ShareTheJoyOfPie #ad

Every year during the holidays I love to throw a party to celebrate my friends and all the people who have helped us out so much during the previous year. This is something that we've always done during our marriage, whether that meant actually throwing a Christmas Party, or having some form of Friendsgiving. We always want to make sure our friends know how special they are to us, and this has been the one way that we decided we've been able to show them that. 

This year, Marie Callender's® Dessert Pies and Reddi-Wip® have teamed up for the share the joy of pie campaign and I thought that throwing a pie and hot chocolate bar party for my closest friends would be the perfect way to spread that holiday cheer. 

I started off the tablescape with four dessert pies from Marie Callender's that I picked up at Walmart (along with all the other food I purchased for the party). I chose the peach, apple, pumpkin, and razzelberry flavors, but there are so many other great options and flavors for you to choose from as well. 

Because I wanted to give my guest a food, and beverage option, I thought that it would be fun to do a hot chocolate (recipe at the bottom of the post) and dessert bar so then the guest could have lots of fun topping their pies and hot chocolate with as many different toppings and syrups of their choice. My personal favorite was topping the apple pie with toffee, Reddi-Wip, and caramel sauce... I don't know if there will ever be a better way to  eat apple pie. 

I then added some fun festive details to the table like paper straws, cinnamon sticks, coffee cookies, and candy canes that could all be used to top off the hot chocolate, and to be a fun stirring stick. When it comes to holiday tablescapes, I always think the more color, and options, the better. The less is more rule usually never applies for me. 

For the decor I tried to keep things pretty simple and inexpensive. I made the cake stands using a plate and candle stick that I picked up at my local dollar store, and then made them using this tutorial I showed a couple years ago. I put all my toppings in small clear bowls that I use for basically every party because they're cheap, and they can be used for every season and occasion. Any of the tall stirring sticks went into mason jars that I already had on hand. I spray painted glass bottles white, and then stuck some holly berries in them for a fun Christmas touch. I then finished everything off by using some gold garland around the perimeter of the table, and then adding some on the walls as well, with some red bows. It all came together really fast, and I was impressed with the final result when I only had a couple hours to plan ad throw it all together. I also filled a large apothecary jar with Christmas bulbs and I thought it gave it the cutest touch ever. I threw this party while on vacation in Idaho last week and was sad that I couldn't bring it home with me. Luckily my sister-in-law had no problem taking this off my hands for me. 

Hot Chocolate Recipe

Ingredients: 

Yields two, eight ounce servings (double recipe as needed)
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp white sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp vanilla
Reddi-Whip (for topping, not optional)

Directions:
Combine water, cocoa, and sugar in a 16 ounce glass measuring cup and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well to create chocolate syrup. Add the milk to the chocolate mixture and microwave on high for another minute, to a minute and a half. Add the vanilla and pour the drink into two 8oz mugs.

How are you going to share the joy of pie this holiday season? Are you going to be throwing a holiday party? Will Marie Callender's pies be making it's way to your holiday menu plan?  I'd love to hear all the details in the comments below!