Make cake mix according to directions on the box. Place cake mix in silver foil cupcake liners, and bake them for the time directed on box.. Cook completely!!

Place the white decorating sugar in a small shallow bowl.

For the hats: using a serrated knife and angling it slightly inward from top to bottom, cut 1/4 inch from opposite sides of the chocolate cookies. Reserve 24 of the smaller cookie pieces for the hat brims.

Tint 1/4 cup of the frosting with the green food coloring. Spoon the green frosting into a small ziplock bag, press out the excess air, and seal.

Spread the remaining vanilla frosting on the top of the cupcakes, mounding it slightly. Roll the tops in the decorating sugar to cover completely.

Press the base of an orange candy nose into the center of each cupcake. Add the large chocolate chips, pointed ends down, for the eyes. Add the mini chocolate chips, pointed ends down, as the mouth.

Right before serving, use a small paring knife to cut a slit in each of the cupcakes parallel to the edge. Insert the large cookie piece, small end in. as the hat.. Add a smaller cookie piece cut edge down for the brim. Snip a small (1/8 in) corner from the bag with the green frosting and pipe a decorative edge along the crown of the hat or pipe a few holly leaves and add a couple of red sprinkles.