We all know eggnog is a holiday staple, but that doesn’t mean it should be the star of your seasonal cocktail hour. Go on and try something different, something bolder. Serve up a drink that reflects the excitement and pizzazz of the yuletide season. Get into the Christmas “spirit” with these fun beverages:

Wine:
Warre’s OTIMA 10-Year Old Tawny Port ($26.50)
Although 10-year-old tawny ports are nothing new, the style of this delicate and light sipper is delightfully different. Rich with nuts and dried fruit, this elegant tawny is reinventing the perception of port as a dark and full-bodied after-dinner drink. Served slightly chilled or at room temperature, Warre’s OTIMA pairs impeccably with a multitude of nibblers, and is a refreshing nightcap, as well.

Champagne:
Armand de Brignac ($299)
Wow your guests with a bottle of Armand de Brignac champagne, a seamless fusion of elegant artistry and bold innovation. Its quality stems from a process featuring the richest wine from each harvest in the French Champagne region. The blend is created from a perfect balance of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, perfecting the art of the champagne. For good measure, the gold-plated bottle was inspired by the luxurious French fashion industry, and no two hand-crafted bottles are identical.

Whiskey:
There are festive holiday options for the straight whiskey drinkers at the party. Try the Merry Irishman, starring Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey.
• 2 parts Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey
• 1 part Kahlua
• ½ part Mint Schnapps
Combine and serve over ice. Garnish with a candy cane.

Gin:
Nothing says Merry Christmas like the namesake drink, centered on gin and cranberries, the fruit of the season. The drink is also good for non-drinkers at the party, sans gin.
• 1 oz. gin
• 1 oz. cranberry juice
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Club soda
• Fresh cranberries for garnish
Pour the gin and juices into a glass with ice and stir. Top with club soda and garnish with cranberries.

Vodka:
There are plenty of vodka-centered holiday drinks. Mix up a Christmas Jones, topped off with 7-Up for the perfect amount of fizz. Fresh mint garnishes add the holiday spirit.
• 4 fresh strawberries
• 1 part vodka
• 2 tsp sugar
• 5 oz. pineapple juice
• Splash of 7-Up
• Mint for garnish
Combine vodka, strawberries, sugar and pineapple juice in a blender. Pour the mix equally into two highball glasses. Top with 7-Up and garnish.

Freshen up with a SKYY Candy Cane cocktail, a fun drink that is fun to create. The glass is rimmed with crushed candy canes, using either Schnapps or Crème de Cacao to wet the rim.
• ¾ oz. SKYY Berry vodka
• ¾ oz. Peppermint Schnapps
• ¾ oz. white Crème de Cacao
• ¼ oz. grenadine
• Half and half
• Soda water
Pour vodka, Schnapps, Crème de Cacao and grenadine into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Pour into cocktail glass rimmed with crushed peppermint candy. Fill with half and half and top with soda water.

Mix Things Up:
There are plenty of other exciting mixed spirits for your holidays with quick and easy recipes.

The Holiday Hopper includes: 1 oz. Midori; ½ oz. Crème de Menthe Green; ½ oz. Crème de Cocao White; and 2 oz. half and half stirred. Garnish with mint leaves and raspberry for celebratory Christmas colors.

Add a timely twist to champagne with cranberry juice and Cointreau for the classic Poinsettia.

Cozy up to a fire with a glass of Hot Buttered Rum: it combines rum, butter and sugar in a delicious concoction.

GIFT GUIDE BONUS:
3 Busy Dogs has launched a non-alcoholic doggie beverage to assure Fido is not left off the gift list. The non-alcoholic, all-natural Bowser Beer is a holiday present that epitomizes the ultimate in canine/human bonding. The canine beverage contains no hops or alcohol and is salt-free with homemade chicken or beef broth and pure malt barley extract. You can also put your dog’s picture on the label. Bowser Beer is available locally at Posh Pets Boutique, 743 N. High St.