My Traditional Christmas Cocktail Routine

Christmas in my house is not complete without an alcoholic beverage or two. There are so many drinks that we associate with the festive time, and we don’t usually drink them at any other time of the year. Here are some of our favourites.
Mulled wine: This drink usually makes an appearance around Halloween and disappears again after New Year. The smell of it seems to sum up the spirit of Christmas. You can buy it on the high streets in paper cups while you do your Christmas shopping. It is a true winter warmer, introduced to Europe by the Romans as they travelled through, conquering countries as they did so.

Baileys: We will be greeted with a glass of this when we first arrive at my mother in law’s house. She always adds a dash of crème de menthe and crème de cacao to mine to turn it into a delicious After Eight.

Bucks Fizz: This may not be a drink that everyone associates with Christmas, but I certainly do. Champagne and orange juice is the perfect combination for those who are designated drivers on the day. A cheeky little bit of bubbles at dinner is essential, and not too heavy with the banquet of food that will inevitably mean loosening my belt as I eat. The drink was named after the Buck’s Club in London, and was invented as an excuse to start drinking early. I never have any idea how many my mother in law has consumed by the time we get there.

Eggnog: This frothy drink tastes just like dessert, how Christmas should taste in my opinion. Sweet, creamy, and satisfying. I prefer a shot of bourbon in mine, but my husband would rather have rum. Eggnog was originally a British creation, enjoyed by the aristocracy, but it is much more of an American tradition now. The Egg-nog riot in 1826 happened when whiskey was smuggled into a US Military academy for a Christmas Day party. It cemented its place as a yuletide favourite.

Port: When the cheese board comes out later in the evening, it is always accompanied by a bottle of Port. Personally I prefer to add a shot to my bottle of WKD for a Cheeky Vimto. My mother in law adds vodka too. The men like theirs neat.

Then, when the day is coming to an end, we always finish with a good old fashioned Irish coffee. The drink was invented in County Limerick by a barman who worked at a pub near the airport. Some Americans disembarked their flight, tired, cold and miserable, so he added whiskey to their coffee to perk them up. It became popular at Shannon Airport and the recipe soon made its way overseas. It certainly warms and wakes us up ready for our long walk home.

Looking for more inspirational Christmas Cocktails? Check out our Christmas Drinks List!