Hop Out of Bed! It's Easter!

As chief assistant to all of our mystical, holiday visitors, I’m challenged by the late shift. Why can’t Santa Claus, Cupid, and the Easter Bunny come during normal business hours? I’ve had to make several excuses on behalf of the Tooth Fairy, who hasn’t always fulfilled her duty. It’s simply embarrassing - for her.

Having admitted to my need for sleep, I also have to admit that I love surprises. It gives me great joy to give my children something unique and pleasing to the eye. I appreciate what Van Otis has to offer this Easter season including fudge-filled eggs, Pixie Bunnies, chocolate-dipped Peeps, Gummie Bunnies, and jelly beans. They will also help you assemble a basket with sweets and stuffed animals found right in their retail store.

To make that Easter basket extra fun to find, add a game to your traditions. When your children get up on Easter morning, give them a plastic egg with a clue inside. This should lead them to another plastic egg and clue, leading them to another, and so on, until finally leading them to their basket. Use up to about a dozen eggs per child.

They’ll have so much fun that they’ll almost be disappointed when they get to the basket at the end, until they see it’s filled with treats from Van Otis.

Oh, You Shouldn't Have

We’ve accepted a New Year’s Eve party invitation from our creative hosts, mentioned previously in the blog “Warning: This Article May Contain Traces of Nuts.” I politely responded to the invitation with, “Yes, and what can we bring?” At this phase of the holiday celebration marathon, what I really mean is, “Would you like me to bring paper plates?” Instead I elicited the response, “A dessert.”

I’m stumped. Over the past two months, I’ve already frosted, dipped, whipped, baked, and sprinkled every confection in my recipe box. I need to find something that impresses the crowd and de-stresses the cook.

Scanning the Van Otis Chocolates website (http://www.vanotis.com/), I found Mini Desserts. They come in a variety of flavors including, Banana Split, Hazelnut, Cherry Dream, Latte Macchiatto, Pistachio Passion, Orange Spice, and Christmas Spice.

Each handmade dessert looks like an individual work of art. All I need to do is find a festive platter, arrange, throw some flour on my lapel, and look tired and accomplished.

The Joy of Being Carded

So often I hear people make disparaging remarks about gift cards. The most common is that they aren’t thoughtful enough to be a proper gift. Bah Humbug.

I truly can’t think of anything more thoughtful than the gift of choice. Gift cards also say you cared enough about the recipient to keep them out of the return lines, and you were considerate enough to not guess their current size.


At a holiday party this past weekend, I fought hard for the only gift card that was passed around at a Yankee Swap gift exchange. Sure, other people left with a bag of coffee or the latest in goofy, singing Christmas ornaments. I left with anticipation, imagination, and possibility. The best part about my future gift card purchase - I know I’m going to like it!

Give someone something to look forward to this Christmas season. A Van Otis gift card offers possibilities such as a mid-winter treat of truffles, cashews for the New Year’s Eve party, or gourmet popcorn for the ski lodge.

Now through December 24th, take 10% OFF all Van Otis gift cards!

ORDER NOW!

Bark as Good as the Bite

We need your help!

Van Otis Chocolates currently offers milk, dark, and white chocolate bark, along with their seasonal peppermint bark. Think of chocolate as your blank canvas and let those salivary, creative juices flow. What else would make for a great bark topping?

Chocolate bark is such a great concept. Broken pieces of chocolate reinforce the mindset of eating just a little bit, i.e. I only ate some pieces of chocolate, not the whole thing.

I'm personally a fan of salty items combined with Van Otis' handmade dark chocolate. Crumbled pretzels or cashews would be my pick, but this isn't about me. This is your chance to be heard.

Share your ideas below. You may see your wish come true!