Toast to the Holidays with Easy Budget Beverages

This is a great alternative to more expensive wines- and what's more, it's a holiday tradition that's been around for centuries.

1 bottle of inexpensive wine

3/4 cups of sugar or 1/3 cup of honey

2 cinnamon sticks

1 orange

8 cloves

6 allspice berries

1 small piece of ginger

Pour the wine into an enamel, glass or any non-reactive pot and set on the stove on low heat. Add the sugar (or honey) and the spices. Grate the orange zest off of the orange with a fine grater and place it in the pot.

Stir occasionally, but do not let the mixture boil. When it begins to steam, it is finished. Remove it from the heat. Ladle it into mugs. If you like, place a thin orange slice into each mug.

For a non-alcoholic version, use cider in place of wine.

Cranberry Sparklers

This simple recipe really helps to stretch the wine.

1 bottle of sparkling wine

Equal amount of cranberry juice

Mix one part wine with one part juice. That's all there is to it!

For a non-alcoholic version, use sparkling water in place of wine.

Hot Chocolate Coffee

Skip expensive gourmet coffees and go for this chocolate-lovers heart-warmer.

½ cup prepared coffee (any bargain supermarket brand will do)

½ cup prepared hot chocolate (instant is fine)

Milk

Whipped cream

Cinnamon or cocoa powder (optional)

Fill a mug with half coffee, half hot chocolate. Steam the milk in a saucepan or microwave and add bit. Stir. Top with whipped cream. Sprinkle with cinnamon or cocoa powder.

Hot Buttered Rum

Another way to stretch the booze.

½ stick sweet butter, softened

1 tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

nutmeg

water

1 bottle of bargain rum

Cream butter and sugar together in a bowl. Mix in cinnamon. Place one to two tablespoons of mixture into mugs. Fill each mug about halfway with rum. Fill the rest of the way with boiling water. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.

Cranberry Orange Cream

A luxurious, non-alcoholic beverage that looks and tastes fancier than it is.

1 oz milk

6 oz orange soda

2 tbsp frozen cranberry juice concentrate.

Pour milk into a glass. Add cranberry juice concentrate. Pour in orange soda slowly, stirring briskly.

Apple-Cinnamon Ginger Tea

Full of holiday flavors.

4 cups boiling water

2 oz ginger, peeled, coarsely chopped

1 green apple, such as granny smith, sliced

2 cinnamon sticks

Boil water in a pot. Add ginger, apple and cinnamon sticks. Remove from heat. Steep for 5 minutes. Strain; pour into cups. Allow guests to sweeten with sugar or honey.