Holiday Cheer: 10 Drink Recipes for the Holidays

Everyone could do with a little holiday cheer. Here are ten of the best, time-honored and modern recipes for alcohol beverages you can whip up for your holiday get-togethers.

Almond Chocolata
1 1/4 oz. amaretto
5 oz. hot chocolate
whipped cream

Make the hot chocolate first, and measure out the amaretto while it's heating so that you can serve steaming hot. Pour the amaretto into a large mug and add the hot chocolate to it. Stir well and top with whipped cream. Serve hot.

Alpine Avenger
1 oz. Rumple Minze Peppermint Schnapps
1/2 oz. white creme de cacao

Steam enough milk to fill a large mug. When it's steaming, pour it carefully into a mug and add the schnapps and white crème. Top with chocolate shavings. Serve hot.

Candy Cane Cocoa
2 oz. Phillips Peppermint Crème
1 cup hot cocoa

Measure out the peppermint crème while the water for your hot cocoa is heating. Mix the hot cocoa in a large mug and add the peppermint crème to the well-mixed chocolate. Blend well. Garnish with whipped cream and a candy cane or peppermint stick. Serve hot.

Christmas Cheer
1 gallon apple cider
8 cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 cups rum
1 cup applejack
3/4 cup apple schnapps

Add the cinnamon sticks to the cider and bring to a boil over medium heat. When a rolling boil has been achieved, reduce the heat to low. Add the liquors and stir constantly until well-heated. Pour in large mugs and garnish with cinnamon sticks. Serve hot.

Eggnog
1 cup bar sugar
1 dozen eggs
1 1/2 quarts milk
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 bottle brandy

Carefully separate the eggs, adding only the yolks into a large punch bowl with the sugar. Beat well. Set the egg whites aside in the fridge. Stir in milk and whipping cream. Add brandy, stir gently, and refrigerate for about one hour. Before serving, whip the egg whites and fold them into the eggnog. Garnish with fresh nutmeg and serve in small cups.

Harveys & Egg Nog
2 oz. Harveys Bristol Cream
4 oz. egg nog

Use any store-bought egg nog for this recipe, or create the previous eggnog recipe without brandy to use in this one. To make, pour both the eggnog and the Bristol Cream over crushed ice. Place in tall mugs and sprinkle with nutmeg to serve.

SKYY Boughs of Holly
1 oz. SKYY Melon Vodka
1/4 oz. lime juice
splash of sweet & sour mix
splash of lemon-lime soda

Fill a martini shaker with crushed ice. Pour the ingredients over the ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled, sugar-rimmed martini glass. (To easily coat a rim, use your finger to place a thin layer of vodka around the rim of the glass. Then, turn the glass upside down into a bowl of sugar. Turn upright, and use).

SKYY White Christmas Cosmo
1 1/2 oz. SKYY Citrus Vodka
1/2 oz. triple sec
squeeze of fresh lime
splash of white cranberry juice

Fill a martini shaker with crushed ice. Pour the ingredients over the ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled, sugar-rimmed martini glass. (To easily coat a rim, use your finger to place a thin layer of vodka around the rim of the glass. Then, turn the glass upside down into a bowl of sugar. Turn upright, and use).

SKYY Winter Wonderland
3/4 oz. SKYY Vodka
1 dash grenadine
1 dash triple sec
1/4 oz. lemon juice
4 oz. Champagne

Fill a shaker with crushed ice. Add all the ingredients except the champagne into the shaker. Shake well and strain into a champagne flute. Top the flute off with champagne and serve.

Southern Frost
1 1/2 oz. Southern Comfort
2 oz. cranberry juice
2 oz. ginger ale

Fill a tall glass with crushed ice. In a separate glass or in a shaker, add the ingredients and mix well. Pour over the crushed ice and serve.