I’m going to blame a lingering post-Thanksgiving food coma for the fact that I’ve been a lazy bum lately. This past weekend, I spent much more time eating food than writing (or even thinking about writing) about it. So instead of a long-winded exposition on the latest culinary trend or St. Louis eating establishment, I give you…alcohol! Or at least some ideas on how to use alcohol to make the holiday season a bit more festive.

While most party people are content with a simple glass of wine or beer, the holidays are a great opportunity to be a little more creative with alcoholic offerings. Following are some drink recipes with an extra kick of holiday cheer that will give new meaning to the term “Christmas spirit.”

Mulled Wine
I actually tried this recipe from Foodnetwork.com at Thanksgiving this year, and it turned out better than I expected. The concept of hot wine didn’t sound all that appealing to me, but when mixed with some spices and a little orange zest, it was almost like drinking cider. And it was a big hit with the family (as far as I know, they weren’t just being polite). Plus, making mulled wine made me feel very Dickensian, which is always fun.

Ingredients

2 bottles of dry red wine
4 ounces of brandy (you can also use port, but I haven’t tried that yet)
12 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1 large orange, zested

Directions

Combine ingredients in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Do not allow mixture to boil. Heat for 20 minutes and serve in a large, heat resistant punch bowl. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and freshly ground nutmeg.

Wassail
I haven’t tried this recipe (from Webtender.com) myself, but this might just be my next drink experiment. Christmas, perhaps?

Ingredients

1 gallon apple cider
8 cinnamon sticks
1 lemon, washed and sliced
1 orange, washed and sliced
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon Allspice
1 gallon white wine
2 cups rum

Directions

Simmer the nonalcoholic ingredients together for 1-2 hours, then add the wine and rum about 10 minutes before serving (hot).

Peppermint Hot Chocolate
This holiday drink is my personal favorite and is about as easy as they come. Just make some hot chocolate (I recommend Swiss Miss Rich Chocolate) and add a shot of peppermint schnapps. Done and done. And delicious. You don’t even need to have a party to enjoy this drink – I find it’s the perfect accompaniment to a cozy night at home. Curl up with your Snuggie and pop in your Elf DVD. Perfect.

Good Ol’ Fashioned Eggnog
Personally I’m not a huge fan of eggnog, but for some reason, people go crazy over this stuff once December hits. If you’re one of these people, here is a recipe from allrecipes.com that a friend of mine recommends.

Ingredients

6 eggs
1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 quart milk
1/3 pint heavy whipping cream
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt

Directions

Beat eggs; mix in condensed milk, vanilla, quart of milk, and salt.
Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold into egg and milk mixture and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve chilled.

So there you have it. These festive drinks are sure to make your eyes twinkle, your dimples merry, your cheeks look like roses, and your nose – like a cherry! That sounds familiar. I think I just figured out why old Mr. Claus is so darn jolly all the time…

(Image from MyRecipes.com)

Carlie is the Food and Drink Editor for Girls Guide. By day she is an educational textbook editor, and she moonlights as a foodie and barfly. You can email her at carlie [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and you can follow her on Twitter – @carbirwin.