Special Drinks for the Holiday Party

What is a Christmas party without the drinks? You could have just open bar with the basics, but try making something different, and I don't mean eggnog. What I mean is try paking an adult punch, or a signature drink for your Christmas party, you not only be thought of as creative, but your guests will love it.

Christmas Sangria recipe

1 (6 ounce can) strawberry nectar
1 small can frozen orange juice
1/2 quart carbonated lemon-lime soda
1 cup fresh fruit, diced
1 (6 ounce) can peach nectar
Dash of cinnamon
1 quart Burgundy wine
Combine all ingredients in a large container, adding fruit last, to float on top. Cover and let stand. Refrigerate for 24 hours, allowing flavors to mingle.
Serve chilled.
Makes enough for one punch bowl

Holiday Cranberry Wine recipe

3 cups chopped cranberries (use food processor)
2 1/2 to 3 cups granulated sugar
1 (3 liter) bottle semi-dry white wine or any other
white wine you prefer
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl. Transfer to 1 gallon glass jar or 2 1/2 gallon jars. Keep in refrigerator 30 days at least. Strain with cheesecloth.
Reserve cranberries for a special holiday dessert, served over vanilla ice cream. Keeps indefinitely in refrigerator.

Hot Candy Cane recipe

6 cups milk, divided
8 (1.5 ounce) chocolate-covered peppermint patties, divided
1 cup white crème de cacao, divided (optional)
French vanilla ice cream
Peppermint sticks
Pour 3 cups milk into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until heated through, but not boiling. Pour hot milk into blender. Add four peppermint patties; cover and process until smooth. Add 1/2 cup crème de cacao, if desired. Pour into mugs. Top with a scoop of ice cream and garnish with peppermint sticks. Repeat process with remaining ingredients.
Makes 6 servings.

Poinsettia recipe

1/2 ounce Cointreau
2 ounces cranberry juice
4 ounces champagne
Pour Cointreau and cranberry juice into a champagne flute and fill with champagne

Strawberry Champagne Christmas Punch recipe

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups brandy
3/4 cup grenadine syrup
3 bottles ginger ale
2 bottles pink champagne
1 raspberry sherbet
1 package frozen strawberries
Chill champagne and ginger ale. Mix confectioners' sugar, brandy and syrup well with an electric mixer. Pour ginger ale over sherbet in punch bowl; add syrup mixture. Stir a couple times, then add champagne and frozen strawberries

Sweet Hot Buttered Rum recipe

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 pinch salt
3 sticks cinnamon
4 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups rum
Whipped cream
Ground nutmeg
Put all ingredients, except the rum, whipped cream and nutmeg into crockpot. Add 2 quarts hot water. Stir well. Cover; cook on LOW for 5 hours.
Stir in rum. Top individual servings with whipped cream and a dash of nutmeg.