Christmas Cocktail Recipes, Snack Ideas, & More for Your Holiday Party

Are you gearing up to throw a holiday party this holiday season? If that’s the case, you might be trying to find as many ideas as possible. Here at Distillery Nearby, we love the holiday season, and it might just be one of our favorite times of year to mix up cocktails. In this blog post, we’re going to focus on holiday party ideas for you, including several Christmas cocktail recipes that will spark your creativity. Let’s get right to it, shall we?

First, a Few Tips for Your Holiday Party

We covered a bit about Christmas in our previous blog, Christmas Eve: A Brief History, Party Ideas, Cocktail Ideas, & More. However, today we’re here to take you step further for any holiday party you need to plan. As you already know, Christmas is on December 25th each year, but a holiday party can, realistically, fall on any day during the “holiday season.” Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you plan your party:

Have a Well-Stocked Bar

If you haven’t pre-selected cocktails that you will be serving, having a well-stocked bar is critical to the success of your party! We’ve talked a bit about this in a previous post, so be sure to check out our suggestions for getting your at-home or party bar stocked well for your guests.

Keep Everyone in Mind

You’re probably going to have multiple people at your holiday party, which means that there are multiple taste preferences and differences in palettes. Do your best to make sure there is a variety of options available (or ask everyone what they like!) – this way you can make as many people happy as possible.

Have Fun!

This is a party, after all. Sometimes, as the host, we often forget to sit back and enjoy the hard work we put into our holiday party. So, don’t forget to enjoy what you worked so hard to put on for everyone!

Snack Ideas for Your Holiday Party:

When it comes to holiday parties, snacks are super important. After all, no one wants to go hungry while they’re celebrating the holidays! Here are a few general ideas for festive snacks that your guests will love:

  • Cheese and crackers: This is a classic holiday snack that’s always a crowd-pleaser. You can get creative with your cheese selection, and there are a variety of crackers to choose from.
  • Charcuterie board: This is another great option for a holiday party. A charcuterie board is a beautiful and delicious way to serve meats, cheeses, and other assorted snacks.
  • Appetizer platters: Appetizer platters are a great way to serve a variety of different snacks in one place. You can include things like dips, chips, vegetables, and fruits.
  • Savory snacks: If you’re looking for something a little more substantial, you can serve savory snacks like pigs in a blanket, meatballs, or mini quiches.
  • Sweet snacks: Of course, no holiday party is complete without sweet snacks! You can serve cookies, brownies, pies, or other desserts.

If you’re looking for something unique to serve at your holiday party, check out the following special, themed snacks:

  • Candied walnuts and roasted chestnuts
  • Finger sandwiches with red and green garnishes
  • A festive, ornament-shaped, decorated cheese ball
  • Goat cheese mushrooms with green and red garnishes like red peppers and parsley
  • Cinnamon candy popcorn
  • M&M snack mix with green and red chocolate candies

Christmas Cocktail Recipes to Try at Your Holiday Party:

Snacks and desserts are great and all, but it’s not a party until you bust out the alcoholic beverages – for most people, anyway! If you’re looking for some new and exciting Christmas cocktails to try out on your guest list, we have a few fun, festive suggestions for you. And, don’t forget to support local distilleries and small businesses near you, when possible!

The Holly Jolly Christmas Citrus Cocktail

The Holly Jolly Christmas Citrus Cocktail is a festive and refreshing drink that is simply perfect for the holiday season. It is made with vodka, elderflower liqueur, fresh citrus juice, and ginger beer. The cocktail is garnished with pomegranate and a sprig of fresh thyme or mint. The Holly Jolly Christmas Citrus Cocktail is sure to be a hit at your holiday party!

To make this cocktail, mix 2 oz vodka, ½ oz elderflower liqueur, and ⅓ cup clementine (or blood orange) juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a rocks glass with ice, then top with ginger beer. Many people like to garnish with pomegranate seeds and mint.

The Mulled Wine Cocktail

The Mulled Wine Cocktail is an amazing pick for your holiday party. It is made with red wine, brandy, orange slices, lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise. This cocktail is made in batches by the bottle, then heated and served warm. The large batch size makes it perfect for parties; plus, it can be customized to your taste.

To make a batch of mulled wine, simply combine one bottle of red wine (fruit-forward bottles are best for this application, such as a Bordeaux or Pinot Noir), ¼ cup brandy, 1 sliced orange, 1 sliced lemon, 1 cinnamon stick, 6 whole cloves, and 1 whole star anise. Heat this mixture over medium for about ten minutes, then reduce to low for ten more minutes. Stir in about two tablespoons of honey or maple syrup to sweeten.

Nice presentation could include a glass mug with a cinnamon stick – add one of the citrus slices, too!

Note: If you don’t want to use cinnamon sticks because they’re pricey, a sprinkle of cinnamon would do nicely, too.

The Eggnog Cocktail

If you’re looking for a fun spin on the classic spiked nog, this drink is definitely for you. This cocktail is made with eggnog, rum, brandy, and nutmeg, and garnished with a cinnamon stick and a star anise. The Eggnog Cocktail is sure to spruce up your holiday party and put you all in the holiday spirit.

To make this cocktail, combine 1 cup of eggnog, 1 oz rum, and 1 oz brandy in a shaker with ice. Shake until well-chilled, then strain into a glass and add a pinch of nutmeg and a cinnamon stick for garnish. 

“Christmas Punch”

Want a nice, big bowl of punch that’s self-serve for your holiday party? Then this Christmas punch bowl is perfect for you and your guests. It’s bubbly, it’s boozey, and you can’t go wrong. 

To make a big bowl of punch, start with a clean punch bowl. To it, add 5 cups 100% cranberry juice, 2 bottles dry sparkling wine, 2 cups apple cider, 1 ½ cups ginger ale, 1 ½ cups dark rum or brandy, 2 thinly-sliced oranges, and 1 cup fresh cranberries. Add ice to the bowl and stir. To get the most mileage out of your punch, make sure all of the ingredients are chilled and only add ice as needed.

Find Spirits for Your Christmas Cocktails at Distillery Nearby

Here at Distillery Nearby, we’re big fans of all of the fun, festive Christmas cocktails that people have come up with over the years. From bright red punches to mulled wines, the possibilities are endless – it all depends on what you like! 

If you’re looking for a way to get local, craft liquor, spirits, and liqueurs, we have you covered. Check out our listings for your area at Distillery Nearby. 

And, of course, Happy Holidays from the team at Distillery Nearby!

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