With single-digit temperatures this week, it can be tempting to wish winter away now that Christmas is over, but there are so many fun cold-weather activities that make the long wait for spring a lot more tolerable! We’re always hoping for at least one sled-worthy snowfall, and ice skating is always a good idea! Hot cocoa is an even better idea, and these vintage-inspired thermoses are a fun way to present hot chocolate mixes and marshmallows to friends and guests. You could even roll up an invitation or “thanks for coming” note to hand out with these delightful favors.

They’re perfect for sledding parties, ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, or even a neighborhood snowball fight! So, let’s put that leftover (plaid) wrapping paper to good use, and make some adorable mini thermoses!

• Plaid wrapping paper
• Craft tubes (or toilet paper rolls, but you’ll have to adjust your measurements!)
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Cardboard (cereal boxes are perfect!)
• Cardstock in red, cream, or silver
• Mod Podge
• Tacky glue
• Clear tape

Step 1
Trace the bottom of your craft tube onto cardboard to make two circles per thermos, and cut them out. Next, use your ruler to create 1 ½” x 6 ½” strips on cardboard and cardstock, and cut them out as well. Cut two circles out of cardstock using a 2” circle punch.

Step 2
Tape one of your cardboard circles to the bottom of the craft tube to cover the end. To create the lid, wrap the 1 ½” strip of cardboard around the top of your craft tube. Use tape to stick the strip together by the overlap, so that it is wrapped closely around the craft tube, while leaving the slightest bit of room for a layer of wrapping paper. Do not tape the strip to the tube. Now tape one of your cardboard circles to one end of the “lid”.

Step 3
Cut a piece of 6 ¼” x 4 ½” plaid wrapping paper to cover the tube. Cover the paper in a thin layer of  Mod Podge, and add a little rubber cement to the top of the craft tube as well. Wrap the craft tube tightly in the wrapping paper, and add a bit of Mod Podge to the ends if necessary.

Step 4
Cover the top of the lid with the cardstock circle using tacky glue, and cover the side of the lid with a 1½”strip of cardstock in the same color using Mod Podge and a few dots of tacky glue on the ends. Cover the bottom of cardboard on the craft tube using the second cardstock circle.

Step 5
To make the handle, use Mod Podge to attach cardstock to two sides of a leftover 1 ½” strip of cardboard. (You should be able to create several handles from this strip.) Once the Mod Podge is dry, cut a ¼” piece off the end using scissors. Fold the ¼” strip in at each end, and glue the folded ends to the side of the middle of the lid to create a handle.

Now fill the tube with a packet of hot cocoa, some mini marshmallows and a little note, and your guests will be delighted to open it up after a cold day of winter fun!

Happy crafting!