Holiday Drinks for Every Party :: From Our Team to Yours

Any time I throw a party, from a simple potluck to an elaborate Oscar-watching party, my mind races with all the details: Will there be enough food? Will everyone like the food? What if someone is allergic to something? And most importantly, What will the people drink?

I polled our contributor team to get out tried and true holiday drink recipes. They range from the most simple (opening a bottle and pouring) to slightly more elaborate, but they are all guaranteed to have a place at one of your parties!

The Erin

2-3 oz vodka and a squeeze of lime over ice. Top with ginger beer (Erin loves Fever Tree for extra ginger or Cock & Bull is on the sweeter side). For some holiday festiveness, add a splash of cranberry or pomegranate juice.

The Ginny

Open Rumchata. Pour over ice. 

The Missy

12 oz frozen cranberry juice concentrate, 12 oz lemon-lime soda, 12 oz light beer, 12 oz tequila, 1 tbsp fresh lime juice. You can serve it over ice with fresh cranberries for an extra festive look. (BONUS: swap out limeade concentrate for cranberry juice concentrate for a summer time thirst quencher, or add up to 1/2 cup of orange liqueur for even more holiday cheer.)

The Kristina

A glass of red wine is always good holiday company. She prefers Frog’s Leap Zinfandel (Napa), Wrath Ex Anima Syrah (Monterey CA), Bill Limited Edition Pinot Noir (Chile), and Slingshot Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma).

The Cyndra

3-4 oz of vodka over ice. Add some cranberry juice and a few holiday berries for atmosphere.

The Meaghan

I prefer sipping on gin and juice. 2-3 oz of gin (I like Bombay Sapphire), ice and a splash of cranberry. A little squeeze of lime adds the perfect touch.

There are also times when you either can’t drink, or have had enough. In cases like these, there are still fun drinks to be had!

The Pregnant Meaghan:

(This winter I am abstaining due to the whole growing a human thing. But I get tired of water and iced tea.)
Ginger beer, a splash of cranberry and a touch of lime over ice is a fun and festive drink.

Meaghan Koci
Meaghan wears many hats throughout the day: wife to husband of fifteen years, Jeremy, mom to two incredible children, Jacob and Aliza, legal assistant, foster parent, and surrogate. A Wichita native, she met her husband at K-State (Go State!) and they moved from coast (Los Angeles, CA) to coast (Manchester, NH and Groton, CT) before settling back down in Kansas. She is a big fan of her crock pots, has read more than a novel a day for the last five years, and crochets in her “spare” time.