Festive Cocktails: 25 Recipes For Your Christmas and New Year’s Celebrations
Cocktail Recipes (Alcoholic or Not) To Accompany Your Festive Dinners
Another year past deserves recognition in the form of a celebratory dinner, and no Christmas or New Year feast would be buoyant enough without unique festive cocktails (be it alcoholic or not) to accompany the bountiful festive menu you have worked so hard to prepare!
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The end of the year is when we gather to celebrate and share gifts and joy. It is also a time of reflection back to the year gone, to the hardship and small victories we went through day by day. If we are smart enough, we try to learn something from life’s lessons and also plan to improve in any aspect in the new year.
It is the second year in a row in which a typical nostalgic feeling about the year past might be replaced with anxiety, depression, fear. If possible, we should try to see the full glass (after all, this is a post about drinks, is it not?)
What drives us forward and makes us see the day of light is the hope that things will get better, life will be good, and we will be okay. And we will be! It might be not easy now, but everything has an end!
We will meet with friends we have not seen in ages; we will hug each other, laugh and dance, and enjoy a good meal and a funky drink because this is what humans do!
If anyone can genuinely foresee the future, perhaps they would like to enlighten all of us. Until then, let’s just remember that everything in this world has energy – you, the house you live in, the pebbles in your garden – everyone and everything that happens to be close to you at any given moment.
And energy has a way of transforming according to the vibes each object, animate or inanimate, produces.
If there is logic in everything, then good vibes, kindness and positivity must attract the same thing. And goodness should be the conclusion of this reflection time, as a good drink should accompany the feast we all are having, hopefully, at the end of yet another odd year!
Have your pick from this generous list of festive cocktails and enjoy the holiday season!
1. Cranberry Moscow Mule
Recipe provided by saporitokitchen.com.
This cranberry Moscow mule is a fun twist on the classic cocktail. Flavoured and garnished with cranberry, this cocktail is perfect for the holiday season. Whether you are having a party or enjoying a quiet evening at home, this festive Moscow mule is sure to put you in the holiday spirit.
2. Mulled wine (with or without alcohol)
Recipe provided by gohealthywithbea.com.
Traditional mulled wine or non-alcoholic mulled wine, whatever you choose, is the perfect holiday and winter season comfort drink. In France, it is popular in Alsace (the region close to the German border) around Christmas time, especially at Christmas markets. A must-have on your festive cocktails list!
3. White Chocolate Snowflake Martini
Recipe provided by theartoffoodandwine.com.
White chocolate snowflake Martinis are a gorgeous accompaniment to any winter night, especially a festive one. Still, it is also great for apres ski, an evening dinner party, or a cozy night in. Whatever the occasion, these cocktails will keep you smiling.
4. Cranberry Orange Holiday Sangria
Recipe provided by kaleenaskitchen.com.
The time of year has come for all the fun treats and holiday cocktails. This cranberry orange holiday Sangria is the new holiday favourite among the festive cocktails list! It is a perfect mix of white wine, cranberry vodka, cranberry juice, and orange juice.
5. Gingerbread Martini Christmas Cocktail
Recipe provided by aubreyskitchen.com.
Is it that time of year where you want to cozy up by the fire in your pyjamas while enjoying a delicious Christmas Cocktail? This gingerbread martini recipe is a delightful Christmas drink with Baileys, perfect for your pyjama mood. Are you hosting a festive party? Then it is also the absolute best and festive Christmas Cocktail to enjoy with friends and family.
6. Sugar Cookies for Santa Cocktail (Boozy Christmas Eve Drink)
Recipe provided by kimandkalee.com.
Santa is sure to love this boozy Christmas Eve drink that is both sweet and festive! The sugar cookies for Santa cocktail is great for a holiday party or movie night too!
7. Cranberry Festive Cocktail
Recipe provided by thegiftedgabber.com.
If you are looking for an easy Christmas cranberry cocktail, you are in luck! This cocktail is the easiest drink you can pour – made of vodka with cranberry juice.
8. Whiskey Blood Orange Smash
Recipe provided by saporitokitchen.com.
This whiskey blood orange smash is one of the best winter cocktails. Fresh blood orange juice is mixed with rosemary-infused simple syrup and whiskey, then topped off with fizzy ginger beer.
9. Peppermint Piña Colada
Recipe provided by theblondcook.com.
Traditional Piña Colada gets a festive twist in these delicious peppermint Piña Coladas spiked with rum and peppermint schnapps! Adding a little grenadine for the pretty pink colour is optional, and the presentation with the crushed candy cane rim makes it look more festive.
10. Grinch Christmas Cocktail
Recipe provided by sulaandspice.com.
How could we let the month go by without a nod to our favourite holiday grouch, the Grinch himself? Let’s give the man what belongs to him and make a lemony drink. Mr Grinch is a more casual kinda guy, so feel free to serve it on the rocks in a tumbler type glass.
11. Coquito: Puerto Rican Coconut and Rum Festive Cocktail
Recipe provided by senseandedibility.com.
Coquito translates to “little coconut” in English. It is a drink with a lil’ bit of coconut and a whole lotta rum. Puerto Ricans serve this creamy libation during the holiday season. Technically, you can make it whenever you want to, but, traditionally, it is served beginning at Thanksgiving through to Three King’s Day on January sixth.
12. Advocaat Egg Liqueur
Recipe provided by vividlychristmas.com.
If you don’t want to buy commercial Advocaat from the store, you can easily create a homemade version yourself with this recipe. It is also a grateful recipient of leftover egg yolks.
13. Wassail
Recipe provided by fluxingwell.com.
If you heard of wassail in the old traditional English carol, know that it is a hot beverage that some people still serve during the holidays. There are many variations of this festive cocktail, and this version is non-alcoholic. It’s the kind of recipe you can easily tweak to accommodate personal preference and the ingredients you have on hand.
14. Jack Frost Cocktail
Recipe provided by theblondcook.com.
A Jack Frost cocktail tastes sweet, tropical and Christmas-y, all at the same time! If you don’t want an icy cocktail, you can also make a martini. Shake the vodka or rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut and blue curacao in a shaker with ice, and strain into a martini glass.
15. Kinderpunsch: Non-Alcoholic Warm Punch
Recipe provided by foodfolksandfun.net.
Apple cider, orange juice, cherry juice and warm winter spices like cinnamon, cloves, and star anise make this the best warm Christmas Kinderpunsch recipe!
16. Chocolate Amarula Festive Cocktail
Recipe provided by greedygourmet.com.
The Amarula cream liqueur adds an irresistible fruitiness to this strong, creamy cocktail, complemented with dark chocolate. In short, it makes one heck of a festive cocktail that bursts with South African flavours!
17. Easy Gluhwein Recipe (Mulled Wine)
Recipe provided by wowitsveggie.com.
Gluhwein is a trendy holiday and Christmas drink all over Europe, particularly in Austria and Germany! When you make mulled wine, you want to keep an open mind. Make it the authentic or traditional way first, and then play it up with flavours and spices to suit your tastes.
18. Peppermint Mimosa {Peppermint Bark Cocktail)
Recipe provided by cocktailswithclass.com.
Mimosas are typically fruity cocktails with either classic orange juice or cranberry juice. Give these fantastic festive cocktails with champagne a try and see what you think! I bet you they are a new addition to your holiday drinks menu!
19. Brandy Alexander Cocktail
Recipe provided by inthekitch.net.
A Brandy Alexander cocktail is a rich, slightly spicy drink with notes of cinnamon and chocolate. It is almost like a more booze-forward version of the classic hot cocoa (except for the hot part).
20. Hot Cocoa Bombs with Marshmallows
Recipe provided by creativegreenliving.com.
Not quite a ready-made cocktail, but don’t you love to place a chocolatey cocoa bomb at the bottom of a mug, pour hot milk over it and see it explode into a magical, chocolatey drink with marshmallows and toppings floating in it? Here is how to make those bombs. You are welcome!
21. Candy Cane Jello Shots
Recipe provided by cocktailswithclass.com.
If you’re looking for a fun and festive shot to serve at your Christmas party this year, look no further than candy cane jello shots. They are easy to make, delicious, and sure to get everyone in the holiday spirit!
22. Pomegranate Lime Spritzer Festive Cocktail
Recipe provided by mapleandmango.com.
The Pomegranate Lime Spritzer cocktail is incredibly refreshing and made with a few simple ingredients. Besides, it does not contain any refined sugars or syrups, but only a little juice. It would be nice to have a refreshing cocktail to pair with the tons of sweet goodies during the holiday season!
23. Chocolate Peppermint Martini
Recipe provided by wowitsveggie.com.
The perfect blend of flavours in this peppermint martini recipe comes together to make a lovely holiday beverage.
24. Energising Vegan Christmas Spiced Hot Chocolate
Recipe provided by theveganlarder.com.
This Energising Vegan Christmas Spiced Hot Chocolate is thick, heart-warming and full of energising flavours and spices, perfect for the cold weather. It has the wintery spices cinnamon and nutmeg, with the extra kick of chilli (if you want!) It also happens to be the perfect Christmassy drink to sip when you are packing up all your presents.
25. Keto Sugar Free Eggnog
Recipe provided by healthywithjamie.com.
The cherry on top is keto-friendly eggnog made with almond milk and heavy cream – a healthy choice for the holidays or anytime! A drink with a long history in Europe, the mother of all festive cocktails and one that screams Christmas the most! Plus, this is a clean, low carb, sugar and gluten-free version. Enjoy!
What are your special recipes for festive cocktails?
Even if you were to make one drink every day, you have your festive cocktails fill provided through December until Christmas. But there is nothing better than sharing those you liked best with your family and friends that might visit you at the end of the year.
Which are your favourites? What other cocktails are your speciality? Please share and enjoy!
Have a wonderful Christmas and a truly Happy New Year!
great roundup of drinks
nice round up of recipes ! I like the vegan spiced hot coco!
OMG! These recipes look absolutely delicious. Getting ready to throw a christmas party this weekend and I think that the jello shots and the jack frost cocktails will do just the trick.
Have you tried any of these drinks and if so how quickly could I make some of them for a party of about 20? TYIA.
My partner made the Grich and the Amarula – he did not spend much time in the kitchen. I usually make the mulled wine – it takes about ten minutes to heat the wine at low heat (I don’t really bring it to the boiling point because I want to keep the alcohol in it) and another ten minutes to infuse – you will be in and out of the kitchen with this one. You might need some helping hands for a large gathering. Have a great party!
Oh my gosh I would love to try one of these. What a fun post!!
Oh! I love this list!! They all look amazing!
An absolutely dazzling list of colorful, festive delights! I feel happy just going through the pictures.
I’m with you! LOL. I’ll surely try a few!
So many great ideas for the holidays! Love the use of fresh seasonal flavors and ingredients.
So many great cocktail and mocktail ideas! I Would go for the snowflake martini now 😊
Amazing collection. I added a few recipes to my Christmas and NY list. Thanks for sharing.
Just in time for the holiday parties. Lots of great options here. I need to make a few of these non-alcohol for the drivers.
Peppermint Mimosa. Mind blown. There is nothing I love more than a holiday cocktail. Amazingly creative list.
How fun! I can’t wait to try all these!
What a great line up! So much goodness to try!
Wow! These are do perfect for a Xmas party. I want to try them all!
Wow so many great cocktails on this post. Definitely trying the white chocolate martini!!
I feel I want to just start working my way down this list. There are so many drinks I have never heard of and want to try.
It is never too early for Christmas cheer!:))
Love how festive these drinks are! They all look so good, but the cranberry orange holiday sangria is calling out to me. It will be perfect with Christmas dinner.
Thank you for the non alcoholic options! Excited to try them too
I would love to try the Cranberry Orange drink.
The Jack Frost sounds amazing! I’ll have to try some of these the next time I need a drink for a get together.
What an amazing collection of drinks, I love this 25 festive cocktails roundups. I agree that so much has been up in the air over the last few yrs. Returning to some level of normal this holiday season would be nice and if not, we’ll have lots of drink options from this post to carry us through!
Cheers to that!:))
These all look SO GOOD, I don’t even know where I’d start!
Amazing collection of Holiday drinks. I’m definitely saving this list. Thanks
I usually attend a holiday party or two with friends so this is helpful. I love bringing cocktails to our friends-holiday parties!
OMG it’s like you took all my favorite drinks and made them festive!!! Love it!
I can’t wait to try the Chocolate Snowflake, Jack Frost, Peppermint Pina Colada!
Thanks for sharing!!
I have died and gone to cocktail heaven! Thank you so much for such a great assortment of drinks. I am always stumped on what to offer during the holidays, and here I have so many to choose from. The favorites that I cannot wait to try are the Wassail and Whiskey Blood Orange Smash.
Great list! I’m for sure making the White Chocolate Snowflake Martini for the holidays!
The Jack Frost looks like the perfect excuse for a tropical drink in the middle of winter. Can’t wait to try it.
Yum! The Vegan Spiced Hot Chocolate is calling my name!