‘Tis the season of holiday parties and family get-togethers. The shopping is done, you’ve wrapped the stuff (if you’re like me, wrapping prizes for any occasion makes me want to drink, but that’s a story for another day) and it’s time to head out.  You’re going over the river and through the woods – and damn, it’s cold outside! Here are a few drinks to keep you warm on your holiday trek (but please, if you’ve gone to Grandma’s house and had more than one of these, catch a sleigh ride home).

Spiked eggnog – this is basically your guilty pleasure drink of the season. It’s pretty easy to chug a couple thousand calories of egg and cream goodness – in a single sitting. But it’s once a year! Live a little! You can also give the dairy-free versions a shot –  the coconut milk version’s only 90 calories per serving (compared to the 200+ of the cow milk kind). That leaves plenty of room for your favorite Bourbon. You can even cheat a little and get the SoCo prepared stuff and add SoCo.

Hot toddy – most people think a hot toddy is the drink of choice if you’re sick. And yes – I much prefer a toddy to Nyquil if I have a cold. But a hot toddy is basically hot tea spiked with whiskey – why wait til you have cooties? I like chamomile tea for this when I’m sick, but if you’re not, that might be a little too relaxing on top of the whiskey (no going face-down in Grandma’s mashed potatoes), so any basic tea should do. I’d probably stay away from anything too flavored, and I’ve found Bourbon mixes a little more nicely. Honey will help sweeten up your concoction, if you pick a new whiskey that’s not so hot in your toddy.

Spiked cider – yummy, apply-y goodness. Keep the doctor even further away by spiking your cider with some tasty whiskey, like Clyde May’s Alabama Whiskey or Berentzen’s Bushel& Barrel – both have apples in them and would pair nicely with cider. (I tried them both with cold cider, so yeah – do that – even be all festive and stir it with a cinnamon stick).

Spiked Bourbon Hot Chocolate – check out my friend Natalie’s lovely (and oh-so-so tasty) hot chocolate. There’s a reason her site is called Beautiful Booze! But her recipes are always fantastic and easy to follow (though some of mine come out looking like the best of the “Nailed It!” memes, but whatever, after the second one, no one’s judging….the look of your drinks, anyway).

                             Cheers to a happy and safe holiday! Sláinte!

Article by: Jeanne Runkle