Ashlee Simpson Will Be Drinking Liquid I.V. Hot Chocolate and Listening to Mariah Carey This Christmas

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

“The holiday season is my favorite time,” Ashlee Simpson tells Billboard, but it’s also one of her busiest. Between being a mom of three, Christmas shopping and working on new music, there is plenty keeping her on her toes. That’s why she starts decorating in November. “It all goes so fast, so if I do December, and we travel during the holidays, then I don’t get to enjoy it.”

This year, Simpson is adding a little extra comfort to the chaos with her Liquid I.V. collaboration, starring in the brand’s holiday campaign for its limited-edition Cozy Caramel Hot Chocolate. While many know Liquid I.V. for its hydration benefits (particularly the morning after one too many Baileys, IYKYK), the brand is giving its signature formula a festive twist.

While Simpson says her kids love the holiday flavor too, sitting down with a warm cup is an excuse to make a little space for herself. “That’s the time when I put on my Christmas music and have a little moment,” she says. As to her favorite Christmas music? “Obviously, Mariah. But I start Christmas music in October,” she laughs. “I’m that person. I love all the cheesy, happy songs — the Home Alone songs — I love all of it.”

Liquid I.V.’s holiday series features two limited-edition flavors: Cozy Caramel and Hot Chocolate. Made with real cocoa, no artificial sweeteners or colors and 440mg of electrolytes, the blends offer a seasonal take on the brand’s Hydration Multiplier formula. Shoppers can also buy the three-pack bundle for $26.94, which includes six sticks per pack or 18 sticks in total.

Beyond the drinks, Simpson also helped design an exclusive holiday mug with the brand. “The mugs are definitely a stocking stuffer this year,” she says.

Featuring a black design with a blue snowflake, the collectible has a grunge-meets-festive aesthetic that feels a little different from your typical Christmas mug, and we love it.

With just 1,000 available, a portion of proceeds from the mug bundle, up to $10,000, will support the brand’s Impact Program, which helps provide clean water solutions through partnerships with nonprofit organizations nationwide.

This time of year also marks a milestone for Simpson, who celebrated 21 years of her sophomore album, I Am Me, which came out in October 2005. “That album was definitely a defining moment in my life and in my career,” she tells Billboard. “I feel like I was in a moment of really standing up for myself and finding myself on a deeper level and also a vulnerable level, with songs like ‘Catch Me When I Fall.’ There was a vulnerability with what I had gone through in my career.”

When asked what she would tell her 2005 self today, Simpson says, “I would just give her a hug. ‘Don’t be hard on yourself, you’ve got this.’ And I feel like during that time I was really in that place of just fighting for myself, and I would be very proud of that version of myself.” As for what’s next musically, Simpson has been busy writing and recording, telling us, “I’ve been in the studio, I’ve been writing a bunch. I’m trying to finish up a bunch of stuff before the holidays are here.”

About Liquid I.V.’s Hydration Powder

Liquid I.V. uses a science-backed formula featuring an optimized ratio of electrolytes, essential vitamins and clinically tested nutrients to support hydration. Its primary electrolytes, sodium and potassium, help the body absorb water. According to the brand, Hydration Multiplier is designed to hydrate faster than water alone and contains three times the electrolytes of the leading sports drink. The formula is caffeine-free but includes B vitamins, which can promote energy.