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5 Festive Drinks for Your Next Holiday Get Together 

Annika Wooten Student Contributor, Texas A&M University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at TAMU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

If you are looking for affordable yet cute drinks for a party, gathering, picnic, or any other occasion, look no further. This is a list of great drinks for any event themed for the holiday season.

Apple Cinnamon Cider

Need

  • Apples (about 2-5, depending on how many people you invite) 
  • Sugar 
  • Store bought apple cider
  • Cinnamon 
  • Cinnamon stick(s) 
  • Butter 

Steps: 

1 – (You can skip this step if you want a more straightforward recipe) – Preheat oven to 375. 

2 – Wash and cut the apples into thin slices, then place them in a parchment-lined baking tray and sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar to your liking. Melt 1-3 tbsp of your butter, then pour it over the apples. 

3 – Cook them for around 45 mins (or, if you don’t have 45 mins to wait, microwave them in 30-second intervals until soft). When they are done, set them aside to cool. 

4 –  Get out a pot and add in your apple cider and cinnamon stick(s) and turn on medium heat. Cook for around 15 minutes. 

5 – Serve in mugs, then add your apple slices as garnishes. 

Orange Spiced Eggnog

Need

  • Store bought eggnog 
  • Nutmeg
  • Cinnamon 
  • Oranges (1-2 depending)
  • Vanilla 

Steps:

1 – Zest an orange and cut up some slices or garnishes. 

If served warm, add eggnog to a pot and turn on medium heat. Add 1-3 tsp of vanilla and around 2-3 tsp of nutmeg and cinnamon each, depending on the amount of eggnog. Heat for around 20 mins on medium-low and then serve in mugs 

If served cold, take the eggnog and spices and blend them together to incorporate, then serve in glasses.

3 – Add zest and orange garnish to each serving. 

Cranberry Basil Lemonade 

Need

  • Store bought lemonade 
  • Cranberrys 
  • Cranberry juice
  • Basil 
  • Coctail picks (optional) 

Steps: 

1 – Cut up a handful or two of washed basil leaves. 

2 – Add cranberry juice to ¼ of a pitcher and add lemonade to the remaining ¾.

3 – Add the chopped basil and washed cranberries and set in the fridge for 1-5 hours. 

4 – take out and serve in glasses.

5 – Take basil and cranberries and put on a pick, or just add directly to the glasses of lemonade

Pumpkin Spice Horchata 

Need

  • Pumpkin puree 
  • Pumpkin pie spice 
  • Premade horchata or horchata powder mix 
  • Cinnamon stick

Steps:

1 – (If powder mix was bought) Follow mix instructions 

2 – Add pumpkin puree to horchata (¼-1 cup, depending on your preference) and either blend to incorporate or mix together – if you choose to mix, make sure to add horchata to pumpkin puree to help combine slowly 

3 – Add 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice per half gallon of horchata

4 – Serve in glasses and add cinnamon sticks as a garnish 

Blackberry & Sage Spirits 

Need 

  • Sprite
  • Sage
  • Blackberries (about 1-2 cartons)
  • Blackberry jelly 

Steps:

1 – Take blackberry jelly and add a bit of water to make a sauce consistency

2 – Line your cups with the jelly and put them in the fridge

3 – Wash blackberries and sage 

4 – Add sprite to a pitcher and add in sage that has been crushed and blackberries, then set in the fridge 

5 – Take out of the fridge when desired and add to chilled glasses, then add sage as a garnish and serve

Annika Wooten is a member of the Events committee. She helps plan and host events, study dates, socials and, of course, participates in them. Beyond Her Campus, Annika is a business major on the marketing track. She is also involved in IBA (International Business Association), which is a global business program focused on helping involve study-abroad students and educating domestic students on the benefits and possibilities of foreign education in all sorts of countries through professors' and students' experiences. She was also involved in FALL, a freshman leadership program (aka FLO), in the first semester and was part of the social committee, which helped her to become familiar with planning, hosting, and budgeting different events. In her free time, Annika enjoys cooking all sorts of dishes, painting, baking, sculpting, and doing various things with her friends, whether it be Friendsgiving, Galentines, movie nights, or so much more. Some fun facts about her include that she is a level one certified florist and loves making arrangements, that she is learning Japanese to study abroad one day, that she lived near a river, so she grew up swimming and camping, and that her dream pet is either a ferret or a bunny.