Hot Cocoa

The kitchen smelled like cinnamon and snow that day. The windows were fogged from the warmth of the stove, and Grandma hummed Silent Night while whisking milk in her favorite red pot. I sat on the counter, legs swinging, watching the steam rise like magic.

“Hot cocoa tastes better when you don’t rush it,” Grandma said, tapping her spoon against the pot. “Everything good does.”

We stirred in cocoa powder, sugar, and a pinch of salt—“to make the sweet shine brighter,” she always said. The sound of the spoon against the pot made a soft rhythm, like the ticking of the old clock in the hallway.

When it was ready, Grandma poured the cocoa into chipped mugs that had been in our family forever. She topped mine with a mountain of whipped cream and a sprinkle of crushed candy cane. I grinned so wide the warmth almost escaped through my smile.

Outside, snowflakes began to fall, soft and slow. Grandma raised her mug. “To Christmas,” she said, eyes twinkling.

Outside was crisp and cold, but Grandma's kitchen was always filled with the warmth of love. 

EVERY SKEIN IS A "MUST MATCH" SKEIN MEANING YOU WILL RECEIVE TWO PERFECTLY MATCHED HALF SKEINS TWISTED TOGETHER. EACH HALF SKEIN STARTS AND STOPS IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE IN THE COLOR SEQUENCE!