Top 10 Best Holiday Drinks

Some people like to sip something sweet as the snow begins to fall. Others prefer something with a spicy kick. With a Hot Toddy, you get the best of both worlds. While recipes vary, this mixed drink typically consists of hot water, honey, and whisky. Brandy and rum make for nice substitutes. You can add cloves, a slice of lemon, or a cinnamon stick, depending on your preference. It may sound cliché, but many Canadians sweeten their Hot Toddy up with maple syrup. This beverage is especially refreshing if you’re combatting a pesky winter cold or flu. Warming up by the fire with a cup of Hot Toddy before bed just might cure what ails you.

Whether you’re out clubbing around Christmas, or ringing in the new year, there isn’t a classier holiday drink to order from the bar than a Brandy Alexander. Granted, this cocktail can be enjoyed any time of the year. The combination of cognac, crème de cacao and cream will definitely fill you with the holiday spirit, though, especially with some grounded nutmeg sprinkled on top. This was said to be the favorite beverage of John Lennon, who reportedly said, “they taste like milkshakes.” Speaking of which, Brandy Alexanders can be turned into shakes using a blender and vanilla ice cream. Even if you’re not much of a drinker, the rich chocolate flavor is sure to tempt anyone with a sweet tooth.

Cranberry sauce is a staple of Thanksgiving dinner, although it’s honestly a welcome addition to any holiday feast. For anyone who’s crazy about cranberries, this spice cocktail is sure to be your jam. To prepare at home, you’ll need to muddle roughly 10 cranberries in a cocktail shaker, along with minced ginger and an orange wedge. From there, add one ounce of Lillet Blanc, two ounces of Aperol, bitters, and ice. After shaking, double-strain into a Collins glass full of ice and poor in four ounces of hard cider. As a grand finale, decorate a toothpick with additional cranberries and a ginger slice. The drink’s red color blends in perfectly with holiday decor, making it a stylish and savory choice for get-togethers.

Candy canes are one of the definitive symbols of Christmas, serving as scrumptious snacks and festive tree ornaments. It’s not surprising that candy canes and cocktails go together like Santa and Mrs. Claus. There are a couple different ways to prepare this cocktail, although each recipe will leave a jolly taste in your mouth. One variation requires vanilla rum, white chocolate liquor, and – naturally – peppermint schnapps. If vanilla isn’t colorful enough for you, strawberry vodka and cranberry juice are agreeable alternatives. Whether the cocktail comes out white, red, or even green, you’ll want to garnish the rim of your martini glass with crushed candy canes. And since you can never have enough peppermint, why not have a whole candy cane on the side?

If you’re a Harry Potter fan, this mixed holiday drink tastes a bit like Butterbeer, albeit with more alcohol. As its name suggests, rum and butter are the primary ingredients, but you’ll require some hot water or cider as well. To sweeten or spice up the beverage, be sure to have some cinnamon, ground cloves, honey, and nutmeg in the pantry. No cup would be complete without a little brown sugar and a cinnamon stick dipped in. After a long, hard day, nothing quite hits the spot like shedding those heavy winter clothes and wrapping yourself up in a blanket with a mug of hot buttered rum in hand. It’s also an idyllic choice if you pop into a pub to escape the freezing weather.

Simple yet satisfying, it doesn’t take much more than a glass of apple cider to get in the mood for the holidays. Autumn is widely considered apple season, making cider a popular choice for Halloween parties. However, cider is just as applicable to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve celebrations. If anything, apple cider is at its best when the weather turns chilly, filling people with warmth and comfort. If you grew up drinking homemade apple cider, you’ll want to visit the family over the holidays to quench your thirst for nostalgia. While regular apple cider can be enjoyed by all ages, those with more sophisticated tastes may add some brandy to the blend of apples and cinnamon.

It goes without saying that any holiday party needs a bowl of punch, but what’s the most fitting kind for this time of year? Since stronger winds are kicking in, party guests will want a warm beverage, and English Christmas Punch will ignite the holiday spirit in more ways than one. In addition to dark rum, this punch is comprised of red wine and brewed tea. To punch up the flavor, feel free to slice up a few oranges, lemons, and other fruits, specifically those of the citrus family. To keep the flame at your party going, you can entertain guests by lighting a fire inside the punch, as long as no decorations are nearby. It’s a drink that could even thaw Ebenezer Scrooge’s heart.

There’s a wide variety of wine that’s well-suited for the season, but mulled wine has all the key components of a winter beverage. This drink consists of red wine, brandy, and mulling spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, or star anise, amongst numerous others. After heating it up on the stove, pour yourself a glass and let your worries melt away. If you rent a cabin with your friends for winter break, mulled wine is perhaps the ideal nightcap to toast with before turning in. For those flying solo, though, it’s equally appropriate for a quiet winter night in front of the Yule log. Wherever and however you spend the holidays, everything is merrier with a glass of mulled wine.

How can you possibly go wrong with this perennial classic? Few things are more relaxing than getting snug in your bathrobe and slippers with some hot chocolate. Winter break always feels closer while sipping on hot chocolate, so order a cup the next time someone at work does a coffee run. While hot cocoa is refreshing on its own, it’s fun to liven up the beverage with whipped cream, marshmallows, and chocolate shavings. Why stop there, though? There’s an assortment of ingredients you can incorporate, including peanut butter cups, peppermint, or Oreos. From gingerbread, to snickerdoodle, to S’mores, the possible flavors are seemingly endless.

You probably saw this coming . . . but just because someone knows what’s inside a present doesn’t make unwrapping it any less gratifying! Be it homemade or store-bought, you know that the holidays are here when eggnog is in the fridge. There are numerous ways to prepare this rich dairy beverage. Kids can stick to the standard eggnog with cinnamon and nutmeg on top. For the older crowd, though, bourbon and whisky are just a couple spirits that’ll give your eggnog an edge. Eggnog also blends beautifully with brandy and rum to create a cocktail called a Tom and Jerry. Like the cat and mouse, it packs a powerful punch! Who needs a plate of Christmas cookies when you can drink eggnog straight from the carton?