Top 12 Christmas Cocktails

1. Eggnog is an oldie but goldie! It’s a sweetened dairy-based beverage traditionally concocted with milk and/or cream, sugar and whipped eggs. It tastes great with or without alcohol, which makes it perfect for parties that with drinkers and non-drinkers.
2. Hot Buttered Rum traditionally associated with the festive season and is for when you need some TLC over the holidays – perfect for small gatherings and parties of two.
3. Mulled Wine is a wintertime classic – red wine with sugar and all sorts of spices. Perfect for an occasion outside and in the evening for warm bellies.
4. The Peppermint Stick uses white crème de cacao and peppermint schnapps to get a mint chocolate flavour. Easy to serve one by one or in premixed pitchers. Peppermint creams are also a favourite sweet snack dessert which makes a lovely compliment.
5. The Christmas Cookie blends the commonly paired Kahlua and Bailey’s with an unexpected shot of peppermint schnapps.
6. Had enough of the holidays already? Have a Grinch and feel better.
7. The Santa Shot layers peppermint schnapps, grenadine and green crème de menthe for a beautiful little shot of Christmas spirit.
8. The Chocolate Raspberry Martini is just what it sounds like. Oh, yes, it is. The classic and fabulous Christmas combination of juicy fruit and chocolate.
9. The Red Hot Santa Tini uses chili-pepper infused vodka and a rim that’s cocoa powder mixed with cayenne. Not your typical Christmas fare.
10. Tired of being a grown up? Get a Snowball down you. A blended, creamy drink featuring tequila and cinnamon.
11. The Poinsettia is very simple: champagne, Cointreau and cranberry juice.
12. The Candy Cane blends peppermint schnapps with berry vodka and crème de cacao to make a drink that truly passes for dessert.

And the Christmas must-have that makes all this possible – the Cocktail Shaker!

Christmas Fun for Kids In the School Holidays – Pasta Decorations

Make Your Own Festive Christmas Pasta Decoration – Tree Garland

It’s always the same isn’t it? That question you ask yourself every schools holiday.

“How am I going to keep the kids entertained?”

Especially in the Christmas break when you have so much else to do, what with shopping for Christmas presents, food shopping and getting the house ready for guests including Uncle Alf and Auntie Betty (who is always very critical about your housekeeping).

Well how about this – make pasta garlands to decorate the Christmas tree.

All you will need is:

Pasta Tubes

Red Ribbon (Narrow)

Coloured Beads

Paint if required

Other bits and pieces, glitter sequins etc.

You can use the pasta as it comes au naturel, paint it in festive colours or to match the colour theme for your tree. We are sure that you will think of other ways to glam it up by adding glitter or sequins for that extra sparkle.

Beads come in all shapes sizes and colours, you may even have an old necklace that you don’t wear any more that you could use.

Simply start threading on the pasta and beads until your garland is the desired length, tie off the ends and there you have it, your very own hand made garland.

Tips

1. Make sure that that your ribbon is narrow enough to thread through the holes in the pasta tubes. You can sew a little thread onto the end of the ribbon and use the needle to thread your garland but obviously you have to be mindful of little ones fingers if they are using a needle.

2. Same applies to the beads, make sure the hole in the centre is big enough to thread the ribbon through.

3. If painting the pasta tubes cover the painting area with newspaper to protect work surfaces.

Related articles

• Apartment Living: Holiday Decorating Tips for Families with Small Children | The Shared Wall (rent.com)