Have you ever had to work on Christmas?  It isn’t pleasant, is it?  Nearly everyone else in the country is at home, having a good time together in their pajamas and enjoying a nice day off work while you grind away as if holidays didn’t exist.  Whenever I have to work on Christmas, I reward myself with a nice adult beverage when I finally punch out for the evening.

If I’m meeting up with friends, I might stash a good bottle of wine in my trusty & elegant Cherry Tone Wood Wine Box.  If I’m just heading home to catch some Zs before I have to wake up and do the whole thing again in the morning, though, I’m going to need something stronger.  That’s when I turn to what I call the Workingman’s Red Hot Chocolate:

Ingredients: 
• 1 oz. Campari
• 2 oz. Brandy
• 3 oz. Milk
• 0.5 oz. Heavy Cream (optional)
• 2 tablespoons of Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Put the milk, cream, and chocolate in a milk frothing cup used for espresso. Froth the milk as you would for cappuccino. When the milk is hot enough, remove the frothing wand and whisk or stir vigorously until the chocolate is completely melted.  Add the Campari and Brandy.  Pour the whole concoction into a heat-resistant cup. If you’re feeling festive, Red Hot Chocolate can be garnished with a couple large marshmallows or a red peppermint stick.