The Christmas season is traditionally marked by parties and gatherings of families and friends. Part of the festivities should be a nice assortment of drinks flavored with holiday cheer. While holiday cheer is usually synonymous with alcohol, many of these drinks can be easily adapted to non-alcoholic versions for those individuals who choose not to drink alcohol.
Warm Drinks
For those colder holiday nights, one option is serving guests Hot Buttered Rum to keep everyone warm, inside and out. Another warm option is Hot Mint Chocolate that can be made even more festive with a candy cane garnish. This recipe can be adapted to Easy Mint Hot Chocolate for the younger holiday celebrants by leaving out the alcohol and using mint chocolate candies instead of the Peppermint Schnapps.
Cold Drinks
For chilled drinks, the martini lends itself well to being modified for the holiday in both the flavors of the season as well as the festive colors of red and green. The Christmas Cosmopolitan incorporates the holiday cranberry flavor and is in the holiday spirit with its dark red color. A contrasting bright green Mistletoe Martini blends melon liqueur, coconut rum, pineapple juice and sour mix for a drink that completely satisfies the guests who want a more tropical flavor in their holiday drink.
Large Gatherings
For larger parties, many people prefer to serve a holiday punch. This is because of the ease associated with creating a large amount at one time to serve more people. The Apple Cider Sparkle can be made in large batches and has both alcoholic and non-alcoholic options available. For a hot punch option, The Nose Warmer Punch will keep everyone toasty from their nose to their toes.
In keeping with the festivities of the season, here are some interesting facts to consider:
- One of the earliest references to the holiday drink Wassail is referenced in the poem Beowulf from 8th century English literature.
- President George Washington was said to be fond of egg nog and even created his own very strong recipe for it.
- In 2007, the London nightclub Movida introduced a holiday cocktail priced at £35,000. The ingredients included Louis XII cognac, half a bottle of Cristal Rose champagne, and an 11 carat white diamond ring at the bottom of the glass.
- Mixed drinks in general gained popularity during Prohibition when poor-quality bootlegged liquor needed to be mixed with other drinks to make them palatable.
Andrew Mitchell - I have over twenty years of experience working with people with disabilities. I have held case management and supervisory positions in ...
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