5 Easy Holiday Cocktail Ideas
Start writing a post
Education

5 Simple Tweaks To Make Trendy Cocktails For the Holidays

Looking for an easy holiday drink? Here's how you can tweak 5 popular drinks to make them "holiday edition."

Maddi Salmon
Dec 28, 2018
University of Southern California
86
5 Simple Tweaks To Make Trendy Cocktails For the Holidays
Pixabay

'Tis the season for colder weather, days off from school and/or work, and holiday gatherings. It's the end of December, so as exhausted as you are, try to enjoy it! This final month of the year can feel like a race to the finish, with classes to wrap up, gifts to buy, and travel to take, but hey, you get some time off from your normal life to hopefully enjoy some time with family and friends. If you're like me, you're looking forward to the food and drinks that typically accompany such gatherings.

If you're especially like me, you're not necessarily that pumped about the standard mashed potatoes and turkey. You're gearing up for the speciality items that only find themselves on the table at this time of year -- especially the seasonal cocktails. To me, it's only really the holidays if you see cranberries in a highball glass or rosemary in a red martini. There's just something about having a drink tailored to the holiday, and it's not too difficult to make these at home. In many cases you can just tweak an existing recipe. With that in mind, here are easy tweaks to the 5 most popular alcoholic drinks in the U.S. (according to a study by HangoverHeaven.com).

1. Mead

Most people have heard of mead, considering it's the overall most popular trendy drink, but if you aren't familiar: It's an alcoholic beverage made from fermenting honey. To give you some context, wine is made by fermenting fruit so it's similar to that. Mead is good on its own -- and is a unique flavor -- but you can definitely kick it up a notch for the holidays, Try making Christmas morning "mead-mosas" by adding a splash or so of fresh orange juice. It's an easy way to make a simple mead cocktail, while also trying something special for the holiday besides the standard champagne.

2. Moscow Mule

This is my personal favorite cocktail, especially when you swap the vodka for bourbon. Lime and ginger -- what could be better? Well, if you're looking for a holiday version then there is a way to make it better. Add a bit of cranberry juice in the mix, as well as a few on top for garnish. This will give you an easy-to-make crowd-pleaser at your Christmas gathering.

3. Margarita

Think Margaritas are only meant to accompany guac in our SoCal Mexican restaurants? Think again. They can be the perfect unique addition to your menu this holiday season. Change up your typical cocktail by trying a White Christmas Margarita. The blended drink benefits from the addition of coconut milk, which creates a richer texture to the beverage, as well as cranberries for a colorful garnish.

4. Hard Seltzer

White Claw, Spiked, or whatever your brand, hard seltzers offer a light and fruity alternative to beer or wine. Plus, they can be a great addition to a cocktail or punch recipe. To give it a holiday twist, try making something like this Cherry High Ball, plus throw a couple sprigs of rosemary on top for garnish. It'll give you the red/green holiday colors, as well as a visual reminiscent of a Christmas tree.

5. Wine Pop

Wine pops are exactly what they sound like -- popsicles made of wine. Rather than the standard white or red wine pops, there's a different route to take to liven up your upcoming New Year's toast. Try making champagne pops (just make sure to make them in advance so they'll be ready to go in time). It'll give you something new to use to "cheers" in the new year.

If all else fails, you can just grab a jug of eggnog and mix it with some rum. The holidays are about who you're with, at the end of the day, not how fancy of a beverage you're drinking.

cocktails
Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

19 Lessons I'll Never Forget from Growing Up In a Small Town

There have been many lessons learned.

Siena College
18473
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
small towns
Relationships

Grateful Beyond Words: A Letter to My Inspiration

I have never been so thankful to know you.

University of New Haven
296619
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

Smith College
91865
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
waitlisted
Swoon

Navigating the Talking Stage: 21 Essential Questions to Ask for Connection

It's mandatory to have these conversations.

National Writers Society
154341
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
single life
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

Marist College
70013
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less

Trending Topics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments