A couple of summers ago, I shared my secret ingredient for a great summer gathering—a cool summer cocktail. Well guess what? For a festive holiday soiree, my recipe is the same—serve a special cocktail.
Why serve a festive cocktail for a festive holiday?
Because there’s nothing like being offered something surprising upon arrival at an event. It says “yay, you’re here!” It says this event will be special. It makes the party, well, a party. Even if it’s a party of two.
Sure you can open a bottle of wine or offer to make individual guests’ preferred cocktails—and I wouldn’t argue against having either or both of those options available, along with non-alcoholic ones.
But don’t stop there. Something unexpectedly delightful sets the tone for an unexpectedly delightful time.
I’ll never forget when I learned this lesson as a host. My husband and I were having about a dozen friends and family for Thanksgiving. Also we’d recently become enamored with pumpkin martinis. So for the pre-meal noshing and socializing, we whipped up a batch. And let me tell you, those pumpkin martinis were the hit of the holiday, oohed and aahed over even more than the moistness of the bird.
I’ll also never forget when I learned this lesson as a guest. In my teens, my step-mom Shannon started serving homemade egg nog at holiday gatherings. By then I’d had plenty of egg nog—the kind out of a carton from the supermarket—but I’d never had homemade. It was a revelation. And one of my favorite things about holidays at dad and Shannon’s ever after.
Is it worth it to make Shannon’s Egg Nog? You bet it is. Why? Because real ingredients make it about a zillion times more delicious than store bought. And because, while we’ve all had the stuff in the carton, homemade is unexpected. Special. Festive.
And that, as I’ve hopefully now convinced you, can make the party.
Do you have to make Shannon’s Egg Nog or pumpkin martinis or flaming flying Rudolph daiquiris? You do not. A festive holiday cocktail can be as simple as a pitcher of cosmopolitans or a bowl of champagne punch, for example.
The point is to go beyond the basic and, instead, treat your guests to something unexpected and charming. Then raise a glass to all there is to celebrate.
A few of my favorite winter cocktails:
Shannon’s Egg Nog
Rosemary Meyer Lemon Drop
New-Fangled Old-Fashioned
A few snacks/apps to go with them:
Smoked Salmon Salad on Toasts
Marinated Olives with Citrus and Garlic
Five-Spice Crab and Shrimp Cocktails
