NEW YORK—Ah, the holidays. They’re a time for cheer, joy and good tidings. At least, they’re supposed to be. But we all know that the holidays are often filled with last minute shopping at packed stores, catching flights at crowded airports and quite possibly a little too much family time.
But don’t worry—we’ve come to save the day by sharing a few of our favorite seasonal drinks to help get us all through the holidays. They’re sure to keep you very merry this season.
So, whether you like it shaken or stirred, we can all raise a glass to getting in the holiday spirit.
Christmas Morning Mimosa
Jillian Urcelay, associate editor, 20/20 magazine
Every year on Christmas day, while my sisters and I were getting into our new toys my Dad was hard at work in the kitchen. Scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, bagels, pancakes… you name it and Dad was making it for us. The tradition has continued year after year as a delicious and memorable ritual.
As adults, breakfast has become a little more fun with this Christmas Morning Mimosa. Easy and quick to put together, this drink is festive with a fun flavor. Skip the orange juice for either cranberry, blood orange or pomegranate juice for a cheery red color. Add in the champagne as well as the cranberries and rosemary sprigs for garnish and you’re done!
Ingredients:
1 bottle of champagne
3/4 cup of either cranberry, blood orange or pomegranate juice
cranberries for garnish
rosemary sprigs for garnish
Directions:
Add about an ounce of juice to the bottom of each glass and then fill the rest with champagne. For a festive touch, garnish with cranberries and rosemary, and enjoy!
White Christmas Mojitos
Alexa Mansur, marketing coordinator, Jobson Optical Group
The best part of the holiday season is here—White Christmas Mojitos. If you haven’t tried this drink yet, you’re truly missing out.
Every year, this is the drink of choice in my house for the holidays, leaving everyone in the Christmas spirit. It all started with my mom’s crazy obsession with coconut. We decided we had to find the perfect holiday drink that consists of coconut flavoring and that’s when we came upon the White Christmas Mojito.
It’s creamy and fizzy with coconut and lime flavors that are not only tasty, but so simple to put together. Make the holiday easier on yourself this year as well as a little boozier and try this delicious drink. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
juice of 1 lime
8 leaves mint
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons white rum
1 tablespoon coconut rum
1/4 cup canned coconut milk
sparkling water for topping
pomegranate arils for serving
Directions:
- In a glass, muddle the lime juice, sugar and mint leaves until the leaves have broken down. Fill the glass half way with ice.
- In a blender, combine the white rum, coconut rum, and coconut milk and pulse until smooth. Pour over the ice and stir to combine. Top with sparkling water, mint and pomegranate. Drink!
Aunt Betty’s Special Christmas Egg Nog Recipe
Mark Tosh, senior editor, Vision Monday
Nothing says “Happy Holidays” and “Joy to the World” to me quite like Aunt Betty’s special holiday egg nog.
Every Christmas upon visiting her house, this wonderful egg nog was the first thing we thought about going through the door. Whipped up days in advance from a recipe I’m sure must have been handed down through the years, this egg nog was guaranteed to bring extra holiday spirit to everyone who imbibed.
So here’s her rundown for this egg nog treat:
Start with eight eggs, two quarts of milk, 1 cup of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla, and mix well. Stir in to this mix 1/3 cup each of brandy, rum and a good Irish whisky – a little more if you’re expecting a raucous crowd. Mix in a quart of vanilla ice cream and equal amount of whipped cream. Chill.
To serve, pour the chilled mix into a large punch bowl and top with ice cream and whipped cream. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Sit back and watch your guests enjoy.
An Alternative to Eggnog
Mary Kane, executive editor, Vision Monday
In my experience, drinks during the Holidays are almost as important as the tree, the dinner and all the trimmings. As someone who is always counting calories (or should I say WeightWatcher points), I’m always looking for ways to cut the calorie intake. But when it comes to the Holidays, all bets are off. Here are two of my favorite Winter/Holiday drinks. I won’t reveal the calorie count because who wants to be a killjoy, especially during this festive time of year.
A Nutty Irishman
1 cup strong coffee
½ cup Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 ounce of Frangelico
Whipped Cream for garnish
This next drink is a favorite of Tim’s and Nicola’s, who both bartend at Mackenzie’s in Stamford, Conn. I like to save this one as a fallback, especially during the Holidays when the relatives and kids have gotten on my last nerve. They call it…
Bailey’s With a Splash
1 cup of Bailey’s Irish Cream over ice
With a (generous) splash of Jameson’s Whiskey
Good Ol’ Glass of Champagne
Daniel Lehrhaupt, client services manager, Frames Data
Moet, Dom Perignon, Barefoot Bubbly, Andre—I honestly can’t tell the difference, they all taste decent.
Champagne is my seasonal drink because you can down a glass when you’re in a hurry to leave one holiday event on your way to the next one, you don’t have to nurse it like wine. There’s also no fuss involved in making it, the only ingredient necessary is your credit card.
This could also apply to beer, but champagne is bougier, and that’s just my preferred holiday style. If you don’t have a budget or an open space for fireworks, I also find opening a champagne bottle with a group of people provides that same level of joy, except perhaps it’s better because you can drink it.