As winter slowly tightens its chokehold on the greater New England area, we increasingly turn inward for comfort and solace. We draw warmth from our friends, our family, our significant others…and most of all, from hot cocoa. But remember—you’re in for a long, cold winter, and you’ll need something more than just Swiss Miss.

The Basics: If you’ve been writing papers, holiday shopping, or fantasizing about warmer climes, and your creativity has been utterly exhausted, you can always rely on these simple additions to jazz up your cocoa: peppermint extract, chocolate syrup, marshmallows, hazelnut syrup, and, of course, cream. These are traditional and tasty, but if you’re willing to put in a little more effort, the possibilities are endless.

Maple Syrup: Add half a tablespoon each of maple syrup and vanilla extract to each cup of cocoa. It’s sweet and nutty, and a little heavier than your typical hot chocolate. Also, it adds a slim veneer of legitimacy to your oft-professed desire to move to Canada.

Anise and Orange: Zesty, flavorful and a bit more mature than you’d expect. Add a teaspoon of ground anise and a tablespoon each of cinnamon and dried orange zest for every five cups of cocoa. Ideal for sleety afternoons when you don’t want to be so comatose that all you can do is sleep.

Tea Hot Chocolate: A disclaimer: I thought of this before I’d even heard of Tealuxe. You’ve been paying $3 for a drink you can make yourself. Gentle reader, prepare to be empowered. Boil some water and brew the tea of your choice, then add hot chocolate powder to the tea. It’s that easy. The choice of tea is limited only by your imagination. If you want something traditional, berry or mint teas are a safe bet. For the more adventurous, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, or even ginger teas add some unexpected flavor. Be careful, though, not to overbrew black teas.

Eggnog: The two drinks that define the holidays come together. It’s like seeing Jon Stewart interview Anderson Cooper. It’s perfection in the field of warm liquids. Mix milk-based hot chocolate and eggnog in equal proportions, adding some sort of liqueur if desired. Serve as a delectable surprise in place of the last-minute eggnog that comes in milk cartons.

Mexican Hot Chocolate: I saved the best for last. This one’s the most involved and the most adventurous but, by far, the most delicious (apologies to Canada). Begin with four cups of milk and four ounces of dark chocolate. Add one vanilla bean, split lengthwise. Include one teaspoon each of cinnamon and instant coffee powder, and chili powder to taste. Believe me, the spiciness makes it special.

It’s not quite winter yet. It’s not pitch-black at 4 p.m., the streets aren’t covered in crisp white snow (or brown and dirty sludge), and we still—sort of—have the will to live. For now, the occasional packaged hot-cocoa-on-the-go suffices. But when true winter hits, and you find yourself in need of a pick-me-up nearly every day, remember this: variety is the spice of life.