Christmas Cocktails & Drinks — From Mulled Wine to Non-Alcoholic Punch

The right Christmas drink in the right glass at the right time changes the whole feel of the night. Here are the drinks worth making — for adults, for kids, for the cold-arrival moment, and for the dinner table.

The five drinks every Christmas needs

A working Christmas drink lineup covers:

1. Something warm — for guests arriving from the cold
2. Something celebratory — for the first toast
3. Something for dinner — to pair with the food
4. Something for kids — non-alcoholic but not boring
5. Something for after — for sitting by the fire

Warm drink: Mulled wine done right

The classic Christmas warmer. Most home versions fail because they boil the wine (kills the alcohol AND the flavor).

• 1 bottle of medium-bodied red wine (don't use expensive — Côtes du Rhône, Garnacha, Beaujolais)
• ¼ cup brandy or port
• ¼ cup sugar (less if your wine is sweet)
• 1 orange, sliced
• 4 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves, 3 cardamom pods, 2 star anise
• Heat to 160°F (just below simmering) for 30 minutes
• Do not boil

Serve in heat-proof glass mugs with an orange slice and a fresh cinnamon stick.

Mulled wine variations

• Add a slug of amaretto for almond notes
• Use mulled cider instead of wine for a non-fortified option
• Make a "white" mulled wine with a dry white + apple + ginger

Celebratory: Sparkling cocktails

For the first-toast moment.

French 75 (lemon-gin-champagne)

• ¾ oz gin, ¾ oz lemon juice, ½ oz simple syrup
• Shake with ice, strain into a flute
• Top with champagne (or any dry sparkling)
• Lemon peel garnish

Kir Royale (cassis-champagne)

• ¼ oz crème de cassis in the bottom of a flute
• Top with champagne or sparkling wine
• Lemon twist garnish

Pomegranate fizz (festive color)

• 1 oz pomegranate juice, ½ oz lime juice
• Top with sparkling wine
• Pomegranate seed garnish

Dinner drinks

Pair to the food, not to the calendar:

Main dish	Pair with
Standing rib roast	A big Cabernet, Syrah, or Barolo
Roast turkey	Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, or a dry Riesling
Ham	Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, or a Belgian beer
Roast pork	A medium-bodied red or a dry rosé
Roast salmon	Chardonnay or a Sancerre
Vegetable Wellington	Pinot Noir or a dry Riesling

Kid-friendly drinks (the secret weapon)

Kids feel grown-up when they have their own special drink. Aim for: festive, slightly fancy, color-friendly.

Sparkling cranberry punch

• 2 cups cranberry juice, 1 cup orange juice, ½ cup pomegranate juice
• Splash of grenadine for color
• Top with sparkling water or ginger ale
• Frozen cranberries as ice cubes
• Serve in champagne flutes (acrylic for safety)

Hot apple cider with spice

• ½ gallon apple cider
• 3 cinnamon sticks, 5 cloves, 1 sliced orange
• Heat slowly for 30 minutes (don't boil)
• Serve in mugs with a fresh cinnamon stick

Hot chocolate bar (the kid favorite)

Set up a hot chocolate "bar" with:

• Real hot chocolate (chopped chocolate + milk, not from a packet)
• Mini marshmallows, whipped cream, crushed candy cane
• Cinnamon, cocoa powder, chocolate shavings
• A small bowl of caramel sauce
• Cinnamon sticks for stirring

After-dinner drinks

The forgotten category. Three options:

Eggnog (homemade)

Skip the carton. Real eggnog takes 20 minutes.

• 6 egg yolks + ¾ cup sugar — whisk until pale
• 2 cups whole milk + 1 cup heavy cream + 1 tsp vanilla + ¼ tsp salt
• Heat to 160°F (no higher — you'll curdle the eggs)
• Cool, then add ½ cup bourbon and ¼ cup dark rum (optional)
• Refrigerate 4+ hours, ideally overnight
• Top with fresh nutmeg when serving

Irish coffee

• 2 oz Irish whiskey
• 6 oz strong hot coffee
• 1 tsp brown sugar, stirred until dissolved
• Top with lightly whipped heavy cream, floated, not stirred

Hot toddy

• 2 oz whiskey or bourbon
• 1 tbsp honey
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 6 oz hot water
• Cinnamon stick + lemon peel garnish

Non-alcoholic options that don't feel like punishment

For pregnant guests, designated drivers, or anyone choosing not to drink:

• A really good sparkling cider in a wine glass
• Sparkling water + bitters + lemon peel (looks like a cocktail, has the bitterness)
• Hot mulled apple cider (everyone wants some)
• A "Seedlip" or other non-alcoholic spirit mixed with tonic and lime
• Pomegranate fizz (cranberry + pom + lime + sparkling water)

What to avoid

• Cocktails with 8+ ingredients
• Anything requiring a specialty bar tool you don't own
• "Festive" cocktails with food coloring
• Boxed wine in front of guests
• Champagne at room temperature (serve cold — 45°F)

The pour timing

• Pre-arrival — set up the bar, pre-pour the welcome drink
• As guests arrive — hand them the welcome drink within 30 seconds of coats coming off
• At the table — pour wine BEFORE guests sit down, not during the meal
• After dinner — offer coffee, tea, AND something stronger together

Still need help?

See our Christmas dinner ideas for food-and-drink pairing, or Christmas dinner sides for the full meal plan.