10 Festive Drinks for Christmas (alcohol)

Important note: Have a look at this page before you prepare any of these drinks!
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APPLE PIE SHOT

Ingredients:

• 1 oz vodka


• 1 oz apple cider


• 1 Tbs whipped cream


• 1 pinch cinnamon

Preparation:

In a 2 ounce shot glass, combine vodka and apple cider. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon.

HOT APPLE TODDY

Ingredients:

• 2 oz whiskey or apple brandy


• 1 tsp sugar


• hot apple cider


• lemon wedge for garnish


• cinnamon stick for garnish


• 2-3 whole cloves for garnish

Ten Non-Alcoholic Drinks for the Holidays

 

HOPPY HOLIDAYS

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Orange Juice


• 2 oz. Sour Mix


• 1 oz. Pineapple Juice


• Splash of Grenadine


• Splash of 7-Up


• Orange


• Cherry

Preparation: Build first five ingredients on ice. Chill, shake and strain. Garnish with orange and cherry.
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VERY STRAWBERRY PUNCH

Ingredients:

• 4 packages Strawberry Jello


• 3 large cans Pineapple Juice


• 10 oz. bottle Lemon Juice


• 2 cups Cold Water


• 6 cups Boiling Water


• 3 large cans Ginger Ale


• 5 cups Sugar

Preparation: Combine jello and sugar. Add boiling water first, the cold water, lemon juice and pineapple juice. Refrigerate. Add ginger ale just before serving.

A Cup of Christmas Cheer #1

I'm not much of a drinker, myself, social or otherwise. But, for some reason, mixology fascinates me (as you've probably gathered, if you follow this blog). I'm not sure what it is - there is just something unspeakably arcane and alchemical about combining various spirits and powders and spices, and coming up with the proverbial "cup of cheer."

Of course, there's a flip side to this. Like the guy who came up with Long Island Iced Tea (or Homer Simpson and the "Flaming Moe"). Rather than being a kind of artistry, this seems to be a recipe for getting sloppy/pasty. A kind of nefarious bartender hack, its popularity nothwithstanding. In fact, that is the basis of its popularity, because getting sloppy/pasty/making street pizza has always been popular in certain circles.

So, if you're looking to get sloppy drunk this Christmas, rather than enjoying a "cup of Christmas cheer," or three, this site might be more to your liking.

For the rest of you merry gents and gentlewomen, here are some positively magical drink recipes for a cup of Christmas cheer--

Peppermint Stick

• Creme de Cacao, white 1 1/2 oz.

• Schnapps, peppermint 1 oz.

• Cream 1 oz. (light)

Shake with ice; strain into a champagne glass. Garnish with a candy cane.

Hot Russian Christmas

• Vodka 1 shot

• Kahlua 1 shot
  

• Eggnog 1 shot

• Hot Chocolate

Prepare hot chocolate separately. To a mug add the shots of eggnog, vodka, and Kahlua. Fill to the top of the mug with hot chocolate, and stir well. Heat in the microwave for thirty seconds if hot chocolate has gone tepid. To make it festive looking, you may top it with whip cream and some colored sugar or a dash of nutmeg, or with a marshmallow, to make it foamy.

Ambassador's Punch

• Brandy 5 oz.

• Creme de Cacao, dark 3 oz.

• Rum, dark 4 oz.

• Eggnog 1 qt. (cold)

• 4 dashes of nutmeg

In a punch bowl, pour in everything except the nutmeg. Use a whisk or a wooden spoon to mix, then add ice to keep the punch cold. Serve immediately.

Brandy Alexander (an old classic)

• Brandy 1 oz.

• White Creme de Cacao 1 oz.

• Cream 1 oz.

• Pinch nutmeg

Stir ingredients in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg.

Decent, affordable, real brandy: E&J or Christian Brothers. Not the flavored crap, and NOT Potter's.

Holiday Cheer Ice Cubes, and two festive drinks

Holiday Cheer Ice Cubes

INGREDIENTS:

• Oranges

• Pineapple slices

• Strawberries

• Maraschino Cherries, whole

• Cranberry juice cocktail

PREPARATION:

1. Slice fruit into small pieces (except maraschino cherries)


2. Place fruit in bottom of individual ice cube tray compartments. Add one maraschino cherry per cube.


3. Cover fruit pieces with cranberry juice cocktail.


4. Freeze until solid.


5. Add these jolly ice cubes to whatever beverages/punchbowls you like, or try one of these two:

Christmas Cranberry Cheer Punch

Contains alcohol

INGREDIENTS:

• 64-ounce cranberry juice cocktail, chilled

• 1 bottle red wine, chilled (substitute de-alcoholized wine, if you like)

• 1/3 cup bottled sweetened lime juice (suggested brand: Rose's)

• 1 liter bottle lemon-lime soda

PREPARATION:

1. Mix all ingredients in a large punch bowl.


2. Add Holiday Cheer Ice Cubes


3. Serve.

Christmas Cranberry Punch (no carbonation)

Contains alcohol

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups Vodka

• 4 cups cranberry juice

• 1-1/2 cups lime juice

• 2 cups water

• 3 tbsp. sugar

PREPARATION:

1. Combine ingredients in a large punch bowl.


2. Serve with Holiday Cheer Ice Cubes

Recipes via Suite101.com

Cranberry-Citrus Christmas Punch

Cranberry Punch Recipe:

• 2 cans frozen cranberry juice, prepared*


• 1 can frozen orange juice, prepared*


• 2 16 fluid ounce bottles of ginger ale or lemon-lime soda


• Add fresh or frozen cranberries and oranges slices

Combine liquids, add cranberries and sliced oranges.

For an alcohol based version: add gin or vodka.

*or equivalent bottled juice

Holiday dinners don't have to be a lot of work...

...but let's face it, they can be a lot of work. Here are some tips to lighten the load--

• Buy the whole dinner pre-made. Lots of stores now offer a complete holiday "meal in a box." I can't attest to the quality of these particular commodities, never having eaten one (or at least I don't think I have); that's something you'll have to check out for yourself.


• Buy a precooked turkey or ham, and make the side dishes. All the big grocery stores have these now; some years ago I bought a pre-cooked, smoked turkey that you simply heat in the oven, and it was the most tender, luscious turkey I ever ate. Likewise, those Black-Label, spiral cut and pre-cooked hams are delectable.


• Mix and match. Buy some side dishes, make some. We all know that most of the big grocery stores have innumerable deli-foods available, and you can buy any kind of pie under the sun, fresh or frozen. Likewise, some of those gravies in a jar aren't too shabby; a little amending on your part can make them exceptional. And taters is just taters. They just plain. They just potatoes. You can buy them, fresh, mashed, ready to go.


• Dispense with the traditional holiday dinner altogether. I did this one year. Lay a nice tablecloth, set out good china and utensils, and load that table up with deli goodies and some traditional items, as well. Sliced meats, including turkey, marinated artichoke hearts, pickles and olives, specialty breads, shrimp wheel, christmas cookies, apple strudel, pumpkin pie, etc. Whatever you like, as much or as little as you want. You can mix and match, here, too. Make some of it, buy some of it. And make the table festive. Fancy Christmas napkins, Pointsettia, assorted decorations. No one is going to complain when they see all that good food, laid out so attractively (my base inclination is to say that if they do, tough, but you know your family situation better than I).


• Have a big Christmas breakfast instead of a big Christmas dinner. Souffle, quiche, eggs benedict, ham, blintzes, crepes - whatever you like. Save the afternoon for cuddling up and watching Christmas movies, visiting, playing games, listening to music. If you have company staying over, offer a light lunch/dinner.


• Whatever you're having, make the "atmosphere" special. Have a big pot of mulled cider or wine on the stove for people to dip into as they like. It smells wonderful, and it tastes great. Don't serve soda for drinks; that is, quite frankly, lame (recipes for holiday drinks will be forthcoming in the next few days). Get a bag of cinammon scented pine cones and some cheap baskets and distribute them throughout the house. Hang mistletoe. Do a Christmas simmering potpourri. Burn Christmas candles (observe proper candle safety). And for heaven's sake, turn the television off during dinner, and turn the Christmas music on, loud enough to be heard, but low enough to still allow conversation.

Finally, here's the most important tip of all. ASK FOR HELP. There is no shame in that. If you have kids, delegate. You may be the meal planner and the head cook, but that doesn't mean you're the prep cook, chef, dishwasher, and waiter all rolled up into one. Put the hubby to work, even if that's not the norm. Why is it that you should have to wait hand and foot on everyone, handle all the cleanup, and have very little time to relax and enjoy Christmas yourself?