We’re serving some Holiday-themed cocktails to liven up your festive event

The holiday season is (basically) here (doesn’t it seem to arrive earlier every year?) and that means a month or more of fun parties, quality time with work colleagues and loved ones, an abundance of delicious food and plenty of tempting festive cocktails.

Now, if you’re planning a big holiday get-together, there’s a good chance that you might serve some exciting libations to liven up the party. At the same time, you don’t want to be boring. Sure, you can default to the tried-and-true beer and wine bar menu, maybe with a couple of spirits thrown into the mix for good measure. But wouldn’t it be more fun to be really original and serve a few unique drinks guaranteed to put a smile on your guests’ faces?

While you could go ahead and create your own drink recipes, that requires a lot of time and effort. Because we offer full bartending services for all of our events, we know exactly what it takes to turn a mundane bar into an unforgettable party feature. It’s all about mastering the mixology. So, we combed the Internet in search of some very cool drinks (literally, in many of these cases) and created a curated list of our favourite five, absolutely original, totally memorable drinks for your next holiday party. We’ve also included our Kiss the Cook variations on each recipe. So without further adieu, let’s start making cocktails!

The folks at Mixthatdrink.com have come up with a great Christmas martini. They call this one the Chocolate Peppermint Stick. It’s a creamy treat with white crème de cacao for a rich, chocolatey flavour, cream and delicious peppermint schnapps to infuse an authentic festive feel. Visit their website for the full recipe.

Our twist: Try it with a little crème de menthe for extra mint flavour and a touch of green colour to give the cocktail a traditional candy cane look.

Sometimes you just want to make a drink that takes as little time as possible to prepare (for very busy parties), but still serves up enough flare to impress your guests. The Santa Shot, again from the mixology-masters at Mixthatdrink.com is a tasty option. If you’re not a bartender with a steady hand and a lot of experience, you’ll need a spoon to help layer equal parts grenadine syrup, green creme de menthe and peppermint schnapps.

Remember that the crème de menthe and schnapps will probably blend together, so don’t stress over creating a perfect layering effect. The heavier grenadine will naturally form the base of this sinfully good shooter, making it easier to assemble than it first seems.

Our twist: The recommended garnish is crushed candy cane, and that is a great option, but a mint chocolate candy stick such as an After Eight will perfectly complement the drink’s yuletide flavours and can be dropped right into the glass. And, really, who doesn’t love chocolate with their cocktail!?

Half Baked Harvest has come up with a very interesting festive take on the traditional mojito, an iconic Cuban drink made of rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and muddled mint. Their White Christmas Mojito features those same traditional ingredients, but with a healthy serving of coconut rum and coconut milk to give this drink a fantastic creamy texture. They top it off with pomegranate arils for an aesthetically-pleasing natural garnish. Visit their website for the full recipe.

Our twist: Skip the flora and add a candy cane as a garnish. Also, consider rimming the glass with cane sugar for an extra touch of tropical-themed sweetness!

There’s just something about a blue cocktail at any time of year that makes a crowd go wild. No, really– prepare a few glasses of a drink such as a Blue Hawaiian, pass it around at your next party and just sit back and wait for the onslaught of requests for more blue deliciousness!

Homemade Hooplah came up with their own blue libation, something they call a Jack Frost Cocktail. It starts with a tall hurricane glass rimmed with shredded coconut. They recommend taking a scoop of ice and adding pineapple juice, vodka, blue curacao and cream of coconut (although whole milk or basic cream would suffice) to a blender. Mix and pour into your well-garnished glass and enjoy!

Our twist: Substitute coconut rum for vodka for added tropical taste.

What would a holiday cocktail list be without a drink designed to warm up your cold weather-weary party guests? We scoped out Damndelicious.net and found this gem: Kahlua Hot Chocolate. Prepare traditional hot chocolate with milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon and nutmeg (a store-bought hot chocolate mix would also work if you’re pressed for time) and pour into a mug or hurricane-style glass. Then get ready to get naughty—add Kahlua and top with marshmallows and chocolate syrup. They also suggest adding salted caramel for anyone with an extra sweet tooth. Visit their website for the full recipe.

Our twist: Add some Frangelico, a hazelnut-flavoured liqueur that’s a perfect complement to Kahlua.

Planning a holiday event? Contact us now to book!