Chocolate Fondue and Christmas Trees

Traditions! This is definitely the time of year for them! We always start our Yuletide festivities with, what else, chocolate! Every year we put up the Christmas tree after Thanksgiving and decorate the house with garlands and wreaths and candles. Then in the evening, Daddy puts the lights on the tree, positions the angel on top, and the kids decorate it while the Christmas carols are playing. When it is declared “perfect” by all, we gather around the table for our “once a year very special chocolate fondue”.

Sounds fancy doesn’t it! But it’s really quite simple. I’ve substituted my little Crock-ette crock pot with the lovely electric cord for the traditional fondue pot since I’m much too frugal to pay for sterno to keep the fondue pot warm! Then I melt whatever chocolate I have on had and add whatever milk I have on hand and mix it together. Seriously. That’s all I do. No recipe or measuring or special ingredients. Some years I have milk chocolate chips, some years semi-sweet, I’ve even used melted candy bars! If it’s too thick, I add more milk, too thin, I add more chocolate! Every year it’s slightly different, but no one seems to mind!

We use many things for “dippers” in our fondue. Pretzels, marshmallows, nuts, marashino cherries, and mandarin oranges, but apples are a traditional favorite. This is a great time for the kiddos to do some experimenting. One year it was gingersnaps, another was graham crackers, this year it was Lego fruit snacks. You are limited only by what is in your pantry!

The chocolate-covered smiles with all the laughter and silliness mingling with the newly decorated house and all the anticipation of the Christmas season make chocolate fondue a perfect Christmas tradition in our home!