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These festive holiday drinks are perfect for all your gatherings! Find both holiday cocktails and non-alcoholic options perfect for holiday parties, Christmas morning, or cozy winter evenings by the fire.

Cranberry champagne cocktail
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After years of hosting and entertaining, I’ve realized something: a great signature drink takes a party from meh to festive! I’ve tested dozens of holiday cocktails and mocktails to find out which ones actually taste good, are easy enough to make, and spark that “ooh, what is that?” reaction.

I’ve put together a list of all my favorite holiday drinks, whether you’re hosting Christmas dinner, need a signature cocktail for New Year’s Eve, or just want something festive to sip on a quiet evening. I’ve included everything from quick two-ingredient sparklers to more warm drinks that’ll make your house smell incredible. Let’s get to it!

My Top Festive Holiday Drinks

Want specific types of liquor? Go to Winter Gin Cocktails, Vodka Christmas Cocktails or Winter Vodka Cocktails.

Making Holiday Drinks for a Crowd

When I’m entertaining, I find it’s nice to make batch cocktails or drinks that can be built right in the glass. Holiday punches are lifesavers because you can mix everything ahead of time and just add the sparkling element right before serving. The same goes for mulled cider or mulled wine: make a big pot and keep it warm throughout the party.

For build-in-the-glass drinks like mules or spritzes, I set up a little drink station with all the ingredients and let guests help themselves.

Balancing Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Options

I’ve learned to always have at least two non-alcoholic options available: not just because some guests don’t drink, but because even those who do appreciate having choices. My very favorites are this cranberry mocktail, pomegranate mocktail, and apple cider mocktail.

Many of the hot chocolate and coffee drinks in this collection can easily be made without alcohol, too. Serve the spirits on the side so guests can add them if they want.

Garnishing With Style

I used to skip garnishes to make things easier, but they’re especially important with holiday drinks to make them feel more special. The aroma also adds to the drinks, like fresh rosemary sprigs and citrus peels.

For hot drinks, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and orange slices do double duty as both garnish and flavor enhancers. For champagne cocktails, a lemon twist or a few cranberries transforms them to a beautiful presentation.

Storage and Prep Tips

Most of these drinks are best made fresh, but there are definitely ways to prep ahead. Batches of Cointreau and cranberry juice for Poinsettias can be mixed and chilled up to a day in advance: just add champagne when serving. Simple syrups like the gingerbread syrup for lattes can be made a week ahead and stored in the fridge.

Punch bases can be mixed hours ahead: just add the sparkling elements right before guests arrive.

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40 Festive Holiday Drinks

Pouring champagne

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The best holiday drink? A Poinsettia! It’s a cranberry champagne cocktail that’s vibrant and refreshing.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 drink 1x
  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Stirred
  • Cuisine: Holiday

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons cointreau, or other orange liqueur
  • 4 tablespoons 100% cranberry juice
  • 1/2 glass champagne (6 tablespoons)*
  • For the garnish: 1 rosemary sprig, whole cranberries

Instructions

  1. Place the cointreau and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 15 seconds until cold. Strain the liquid into a champagne flute. (You can skip this step if the cranberry juice is well chilled.)
  2. Top off the glass with champagne (no need to measure). Garnish and serve. (Note: You can also make a large batch of cointreau and cranberry juice ahead if desired, then measure out 6 tablespoons per glass.)

Notes

*You’ll get about 8 to 10 drinks per 1 bottle of champagne. Make it non-alcoholic by using non-alcoholic sparkling wine.

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi there! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of two cookbooks, busy parents, and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the Fancy Foods Show website in 2010 to share simple, seasonal recipes and the joy of cooking. We now offer thousands of original recipes, cooking tips, and meal planning ideas—all written and photographed by the two of us (and tested on our kids!).

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