Holiday Drinks: Cold and Hot

Festive Holiday Drinks for Your Holiday Party: Punch and Mulled Wine

Nov 6, 2006

No party is complete without a festive holiday drink. Here are some great non-alcoholic and alcoholic punches and a recipe for an Italian Mulled Wine.

Some like their holiday drinks cold in a punch (with or without). Some prefer them mulled. Any way you slice your garnish, drinks are a lot fun at a Holiday Party!

COLD HOLIDAY DRINKS

Packing a Punch:

Punches are a great idea for any party. They allow variety and they bring people together. Always have one non alcoholic punch at every party including adult only ones. Make sure you mark which punch has alcohol and which doesn’t. Unless no one is driving home, go easy on the alcohol.

Punches are intuitive and great chance to show off your creativity. Look around for juices, pops or flavoured waters that you like and create your own punch. Garnish with fresh fruit for a festive touch.

Cranberry Punch Recipe:

Cranberries are a truly festive berry and they could still be in season in where you live for the holidays if not there’s always frozen and juice.

2 cans frozen cranberry juice
1 can frozen orange juice
2 16 fluid ounce bottles of ginger ales or lemon and lime pop
Fresh or frozen cranberries and oranges slices for on top

Just mix all the liquids together and add cranberries and sliced oranges.

For an alcoholic version: add gin or vodka.

Citrus Suggstions:

Oranges, pineapples, lemons, and limes all make great punches.
Valencia oranges are the best juice oranges
Mandarin and Navel sections make a great garnish
Pineapple fresh or juice is wonderful in a punch with oranges
Pineapple goes great with concentrated coconut juice for a pina colada. Pineapple sections look great in a punch.
Orange liquor is wonderful in hot chocolate milk.
Lemon juice or aide with beer and ginger ale makes a shandy
Click here for how-to make lemonade and iced tea.
Speaking of beer - here are some great Holiday Beer Gift Giving Ideas.

Alcoholic versions: Add vodka, gin or any complimentary flavoured liqueurs. If you're feeling tropical, tequila or rum go great with pineapple and coconut.

Tropical Juices:

On grey late fall and winter nights pineapples, coconut, guava, lychee nut and mango juice can transport you to tropical hot lands. Just try various combinations and see what you can come up with. It’s fun. Again all of these fruits are just great with tonic water or ginger ale. For non alcoholic drinks add artificial rum flavouring or a bit of vanilla.

Real Coconut Juice: A great idea for a children’s party is to buy real coconuts. Shake the coconut to make sure they have lots of liquid in them. Kids love breaking the coconuts outside on the cement. After that drill two holes and have the kids drink the juice through a straw. It’s fun.

Alcoholic rum is perfect with tropical fruit juices and it is the pirates drink. Tequila is especially great with pineapple and coconut. Find matching liquors or Grand Marnier. Again: experiment.

For more see June Chua's Tropical Drinks.

Or Mary Luz's Brazilian Caiprinha Cocktail drink.

HOT HOLIDAY DRINKS:

My friend writer and hospital worker Nicole Faucher has a party every year and serves her family’s Italian Mulled Wine. Not only does it leave her guests with a warm feeling but the entire house smells wonderful for days.

Nicole's Hot Mulled Wine Recipe

2 litres Good Burgundy Wine
1 tangerine orange
16 to 20 cloves
3 or 4 cinnamon sticks
1/3 to ½ cups liquid honey

Slice the tangerine into 4 or 5 sections. Embed 3 or 4 cloves into each orange slice.

Mix all ingredients in a large pot. Put on a low heat, do not let it simmer only steam. You will have to turn it off and even take it off the element to prevent this. This will take approximately two hours. The aroma will permeate the entire room.

Serve in demitasses.

Here are some other drinks you might try

Pomegranate Juice
You can serve many Halloween drinks during the holidays if you change their names.
If you want a taste of summer in winter serve Iced Tea and Lemonade.
All of my drink recipes and tips are in the Drink Index

Try Carrie our Party expert's Christmas Cocktails.

Or Mary Luz's Wine Tasting Party

or her Drinkable Desserts

Jaqueline Church's Ice, ice Baby Holiday Drinks Rock!

Best Wines for the Holidays