CyberCucina Contest #1

[SunshineGirl]

This contest will run from now until 2pm Eastern. Normal restrictions apply. You must be a member of SR when you enter the contest.

From the CyberCucina.com website:


November Is Gourmet Hot Chocolate And Cocoa Month!
We have officially declared November to be Gourmet Hot Chocolate And Cocoa Month at CyberCucina.

Choose from a wide variety of gourmet hot chocolates and cocoas that we carry from around the world, including selections from Italy, France, and the US.

No matter how you choose, you'll not only enjoy some of the finest products available, but you'll also enjoy big savings. Plus you will receive free shipping on all qualifying purchases over $99!

Contest Rules:

Post in this forum your favorite memory of curling up with a nice cup of hot chocolate or cocoa. We will randomly choose one posting to win an SR/CyberCucina.com prize pack. One entry per member.

Check out the selection on sale at CyberCucina.com to get inspired and take advantage of our one day only 8% cash back rate! (http://www.sunshinerewards.com/leads_sales.php?aid=327)

[Hedy]

My favorite memory of curling up with a cup of hot chocolate took place when I lived in Mexico. My parents were supposed to visit me the week before, but my dad had been diagnosed with a brain tumor and couldn't come. I had the day off from class for the Dia de los Muertos, but was kind of a pile of emo as my dad was having said tumor removed on that day. I walked down to the touristy part of town and went to the famous chocolate place and had a cup of choclate con leche, and just let myself let go. It was exactly what I needed.

[bs4free]

My Favorite Memory, is after a big snow storm when i was little we all had to go out and help shovel all the snow. then when we were done we came inside and all had big mugs of hot coco. it was a nice warm filling reward for all the hard work!

[linanglab]

My favorite memory is when I was in Elementary school. It was the day of the Superbowl. When Marino and Montana were the quarterbacks. That day in Cincinnati it was 30 below 0. We came home from church (my mom actually let me wear pants to church that day!) and Mom opened up the couch into a bed and we all bundled up on the bed. Mom made us hot chocolate. We bundled up under the covers while sipping on it.

[wdwabby]

Christmas the year before last, my parents got me the fancy hot chocolate from Williams-Sonoma (the kind with the actual chocolate shavings that you melt on the stove top with whole milk!) along with the fancy marshmallows. They planned ahead and had gotten the whole milk as well, so that was waiting in the kitchen ...

my dad always numbers our presents and you have to open them in the order he says to, and he planned for me to open that first so my mom and I could make some right away to enjoy during the rest of the morning festivities :love:

[askomsky]

My fondest memory is when I was a little kid and my grandfather would take us outside in the woods and pull us around on the sled. He would sing songs as he pulled us and would try and tip us off the sled. Then on the way back he would start the guessing game on what gram would hide in our cocoa. She always had steaming hot cups waiting for us and would add little "suprises" to each one, we had to guess what it was. If we got it right she would add some extra marshmellows to our cup. She used to add bits of candy canes, chocolate, vanilla flavoring etc... Anything to make it taste a little different. My grandfather would always guess way off base usually with something a little off the wall, which made us laugh.

April

[catnapfan]

My favorite hot cocoa memory is going to the local ice skating rink as a child. After skating for hours we would go inside the concessions building and buy those small styrofoam cups of cocoa for 25 cents. We always scorched our tongues on it but that didn't matter it warmed us right down to the bone. Oh- and don't forget the yummy marshmellows on top!

[LuvMyBoys]

My favorite hot cocoa memory was 2 years ago on a snowy January day when the kids had a snow day and I took the day off. We spent lots of time outside playing in the snow, throwing snow balls at each other, and building a huge snowman!! :)

The kids were so proud of that snowman! We had such a great family day which of course was made better by snuggling in the living room to watch a movie and have hot cocoa and popcorn :love:

[wilsonfamily4]

My great grandma lived in the same state as me when I was very young. She did not like milk but loved chocolate. So her doctor told her to drink chocolate milk. She took it a step further, she always had a pot of chocolate on her wood fireplace. :) Always. It always smelled of hot chocolate in her house. When we would visit she would always share hers and make us a nice cup of chocolate.

[Alice28]

Two Christmases ago, DH was overseas in Iraq. We had a snow day here at home, and I made the boys hot chocolate. I just can remember being snuggled in our little house, enjoying the hot choc and Christmas decorations, yet missing Daddy. Kind of a bittersweet moment.

[bartleby1]

My favorite memory of curling up with a cup of hot chocolate was shortly after having my first child. She was born in December and since I wasn't working, it was winter, and I was being an overprotective first time mommy, we barely left the house that winter. Our first snowstorm came a few days before Christmas and I sat by the window watching the snow fall with my new little baby cuddled up next to me, drinking a cup of hot cocoa. It was such a peaceful time! I loved that winter!

[JHarveyTN]

My best hot chocolate memory is the first time my oldest son played in snow. Here in the south we don't get many opportunities to play in snow so when my son was almost 3 we took advantage of a rare 2 inch snowfall. We played hard & then came into the fire and enjoyed hot chocolate and marshmallows.
I know many of you are thinking 2 inches that's nothing but for us snow-loving southerners' we will take what we can get!

[jl8595]

OOHHHH!! I LOVE hot cocoa!

My fondest memory was during a humongous snowstorm when I was 6 or 7 years old. No school, so I spent the morning sledding with my neighborhood friends (awesome hill!). My Mom was inside, baking pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and she invited us in for some cookies and hot cocoa. Nothing better!

[m 'n c]

One of my most fondest memories of hot cocoa stems back to a very cold day in December 1990. My father and I woke up at 6 am and headed downtown to the Baton Rouge Centroplex to stand in line for New Kids on the Block concert tickets. I remember I was 9 and I really really wanted to go to the concert so my dad took me to stand in line for tickets (outside). We had our lawn chairs and we bundled up with blankets and sipped on a thermos of hot cocoa that my mom sent until 10 am when the tickets went on sale.

[Arky]

My middle son loves hot chocolate. If he is cold, he always asks me to make him hot chocolate. My favorite memories involve him outside playing in the snow and coming in with his red nose and cheeks asking me to make him hot chocolate!!

[Blessing and Miracle]

My favorite memories include those nights that DD18 and I, would make Hot Coca for the family, and all eight of us sit around the fireplace drinking the coca in our matching Milburn holiday mugs, enjoying a Christmas movie. There is nothing like family moments! :heart: They are priceless!

[bbangel]

My favourite memory of curling up with hot chocolate involves the annual trip we would take to cut our Christmas tree. My Grandma lived on a farm and we would always go and cut our tree on her land. My mom, dad, sister and I would all bundle up in our snowsuits and head out into the bush to find the perfect tree. My sister and I got to pull the sled we would use to pull the tree back to the house. Once we found our tree, my dad would saw it down and then load it on the sled. He and my mom would pull it back to the house. My Grandma always had hot chocolate and cookies waiting for us when we came back. I'm not sure which made me warmer, the hot chocolate or the love from my family.

[gpp2001]

When I was little, we lived on a hill - not a large hill but big enough to sled on. All the neighborhood kids would come over because it was the only hill around!! We would sled for hours and hopefully not fall into the creek at the bottom of the hill. When we were done we would go inside and have hot chocolate in these really great snowman mugs. (I wonder if my mom still has those mugs, because now I want them for my daughter!!)

Karn

[jnorth1007]

First I would like to say that although I love you all if I were chosing then I would pick Michaels post on the other Cyber Cucina thread about never having hot chocolate and using tree bark to flavor their beverages. That story had all the makings of a good drama (including the messed up feet from collecting bark in no shoes).

My recollections of Hot Chocolate are actually very few and far between. Being from Metairie, LA which is right outside of New Orleans we had very few days a year where it was cold enough for hot chocolate. I do remember however that when I was little there were some times when Mardi Gras day would be VERY VERY cold. We would have to get up VERY early to get to the parade route and get a good spot where we could park a vehicle and set out lawn chairs. My grandparents lived close to the parade route and would always bring us hot chocolate in a thermos to the parade route where we would sit in lawn chairs bundled in coats and blankets. By the time the parades got there at noonish we were all half dressed since it almost always warmed up and we would remove layers throughout the day until we were in nothing but shorts and tshirts. By 3pm we would be eating and drinking showballs instead of hot chocolate. I can never see either without thinking about my grandparents.

[coastalgirl]

My middle son loves hot chocolate. I guess my favorite memories are with him and the simple things he loves the most. Making hot chocolate with mom and then curling up to watch a good Christmas movie just the 2 of us! :love:

[kimntrent]

Okay so I don't curl up with hot cocoa much but this is my favorite hot cocoa tradition.

Picture it Disneyland USA Main street. Here you are on a cold winter night right before christmas on a weekend trip to see the lights and get some magic before christmas. I love christmas, hate commercialism, need a little disney christmas time. So they have a mug each year that is for christmas that you can buy at the bakery and on main street in the carts. In these mugs is piping hot chocolate. The kind that just melts all your troubles away. You buy a mug knowing you will never use it again and you walk throught eh park with your gloves on and your disney scarf you had to buy becasue you purposly left your other one back in the room and enjoy all the christmas magic disney has to offer.

Kim

[mom2ian]

My favorite hot chocolate memory is sledding on the large hill in our back field with friends and family, then building a bon fire and having smores and hot chocolate to warm up.

[sammielynn]

Hot Chocolate is the one thing you must have after playing in the snow. When I was a kid we would always have Hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies after the first snowman of the year was created! What a wonderful childhood!

[mjjmbnmm]

My favorite memory is when all 5 of us kids would sleep at our grandparents in front of the fire, my grandma would make us hot chocalate and my grandpa would tell us stories.

[Momtoaprincess]

My favorite hot cocoa memory took place 21 years ago. I was pregnant with my first son and was sitting by the Christmas tree. I just made myself a cup of hot cocoa, with marshmellows, and was listening to some Christmas music. I took my first sip and it was so good. My son thought so too. He kicked me for the first time and it was the most wonderful experience. I think he liked the taste of it too. :)
To this day, hot cocoa is his favorite drink of all time.

[nicnik]

Well, I grew up mostly in southern California where snow isn't a big factor :p but I have always loved sipping a cup of hot chocolate in front of the Christmas tree. The key to the best atmosphere is enjoying the hot chocolate at night, with all the lights out except for those on the tree. The sparkling lights, the chocolate, the loved ones - what's better? :)

(Good luck with this quick contest everyone!)

[tink2008]

My favorite memory of having hot chocolate was when my folk would take us sleeding in the winter and we would be like popciles. Couldnt wait for the hot chocolate. Yummm

[KinziePooh]

I always remember drinking hot chocolate on my way home from the skating rink in the winters.

[SunshineGirl]

Winner to be announced soon and a new contest to be added!

[SunshineGirl]

And the winner from Random.org is....post #2! Hedy!!!

[coastalgirl]

Congratulations Hedy!!!

[tarheelpat]

Every Christmas Eve, we serve hot chocolate in Christmas mugs to our three boys while my husband reads the Biblical Christmas story from Luke followed by "The Night Before Christmas." Usually, we have a fire in the fireplace. I take a picture -- we've gone from one to two to three boys and from little guys in footed pajamas to teens taller than either of their parents!

[ItsmeSunnyV]

My favorite Hot Chocolate moment was about 3 years ago, and my whole family decided to go to Disneyland for the Christmas season. We were even able to convince my older brother and his family to come, And believe me, they never go anywhere. It was so nice to be able be at my favorite place, with all the people I love, and when it got dark, my mom and step dad snuck off while we were all sitting waiting for the fireworks with the snow at the end. They came back and brought each little family, ours, my sisters, my brothers, and theirs, a cup of hot chocolate. It was a really cold nice for us here in California, so the hot chocolate was like the cherry on top. And the fireworks began, and I remember crying my head off, thinking, " THIS IS WHAT MATTERS IN LIFE" and with that I meant, that feeling. I had my family all together, all the cousins sitting together on the curb smiling like it was the best thing in the world. I think about it now, and I laugh because I remember telling my mom a couple of years before that, that it stinks because Christmas is just for the kids now, and that it's no fun for the adults. But boy have I learned alot since then.

[Hedy]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who do I contact?

[sunshinecindy]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who do I contact?

Me, but I already know who you are. LOL
but, I do have a couple choices for you, so PM me.

[MKelley226]

My favorite memories would be after playing outside in the snow or sledding, my kids asking for hot cocoa, but it has to have marshmellows or whip cream on the top.

[m4travels]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who do I contact?

Congrats, Hedy! Hey, if they offer you some cookies, I'd run!!!!

Michael

[Hedy]

Congrats, Hedy! Hey, if they offer you some cookies, I'd run!!!!

Michael

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[bartleby1]

WTG, Hedy! Congrats, and enjoy your prize!

[ItsmeSunnyV]

LOL....Duh it was over, and I submitted my entry. LOL DUHHHH Im a little off today, everyone please forgive me.

on that note...


:cooldance: CONGRATS HEDY!!!:cooldance:

[Blessing and Miracle]

Hedy, you better be glad they know who you are.....because I love hot coca and well you know........let me check, wasn't I number 2....:rotfl:

[Hedy]

Hedy, you better be glad they know who you are.....because I love hot coca and well you know........let me check, wasn't I number 2....:rotfl:

You mean you're not Heather Lastname? :rotfl:

[wdwabby]

congrats Heather - I love it when someone I "know" wins something! :cooldance:

[memanana]

I have a question --- if contest ran till 2:00 why was a winner announced at 1:18?? At least that is the time listed when it was announced Or is it different time zone??

[memanana]

my post that i just wrote ahead of this says 1:54 but my time on my clock says 2:54

[m4travels]

my post that i just wrote ahead of this says 1:54 but my time on my clock says 2:54

You'll need to check the time zone for your ID and make sure yours is set up correctly.

Tricia announced the winner at 2:18 EST.

Michael

[Hedy]

congrats Heather - I love it when someone I "know" wins something! :cooldance:

Why thank you!

[bs4free]

congrats Hedy! WOOT!

[sammielynn]

Congrats!:cooldance: