Festivities and holiday gatherings typically entail a libation or two. You have your choice of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Although we’ve shared some seasonal beverages in the past (that are well worth revisiting and making if you’ve never done so), we’ll concentrate on non-alcoholic cocktails in this article.

Besides being delicious, these cocktails won’t inhibit you from getting behind the wheel, which, as we all know since we are RVers, is extremely important. Just because you prefer to drink or serve non-alcoholic drinks doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time. In fact, if anybody prefers, a splash of a selected spirit or wine will do the trick. Give these “mocktails” a try this holiday season.

For Any Holiday Party: The Grinch Punch – Simplistically Living

This stand-out cocktail is fun and far sweeter than the cranky old Grinch. You can get the lemon-lime Kool-Aid online if you can’t find it at the grocery store. Alcohol substitute/addition: vodka.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 .13-oz packets Unsweetened Lemon-Lime Kool-Aid
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 12-oz can pineapple juice
  • 1 12-oz frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
  • 1/2 liter of Sprite
  • Ice
  • Red sanding sugar for glass trim

DIRECTIONS

  1. Pour 2 quarts of water in a 1-gallon pitcher.
  2. Add the Kool-Aid mix and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  3. Add the pineapple juice and lemonade and stir well.
  4. To top the rim of a glass, dip the top in water then dip into the sanding sugar.
  5. Just before serving, add the Sprite and ice.
  6. Serve and enjoy!

 

For Christmas Morning: Christmas Morning Punch – The Pioneer Woman   

Nothing against the traditional mimosa, but if you want to kick things up a notch, this Christmas morning punch does the trick. Its complexity of flavors make it a refreshing and surprising mocktail that everyone in the family can enjoy. Alcohol substitute/addition: Prosecco.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE ICE CUBES:

  • 8 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 4-oz container pomegranate arils

FOR THE PUNCH:

  • 3 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice
  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
  • 1 25.4-oz bottle sparkling apple juice, such as Martinelli’s

DIRECTIONS

  1. For the ice cubes: Snip the rosemary into 1-inch pieces. Add a few pomegranate seeds and a small sprig of rosemary to the wells of two ice cube trays. Add water until each well is three-quarters full. Freeze until solid, at least 12 hours. These can be made up to two weeks in advance.
  2. For the punch: Combine the pomegranate, pineapple, and orange juice in a pitcher. Add the sliced ginger and let sit overnight (or up to 24 hours).
  3. When ready to serve, place a few ice cubes in a tall glass and fill halfway with the fruit juice. Top with sparkling apple cider and serve immediately.

For Christmas Day: Slow Cooker Peppermint Bark Hot Chocolate – Women’s Day

Stay warm and cozy by the fire as the presents are opened or as the house quiets as everyone goes into their corners to spend time with their new treasures with this delicious hot drink that can be made and kept warm in a slow cooker. Alcohol substitute/addition: crème de menthe or vodka (1/4 cup).

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 cups whole milk
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 cups bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp. peppermint extract
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • Sweetened whipped cream
  • Crushed candy canes

DIRECTIONS

  1. Put the milk, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, crème de menthe (or vodka), vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and salt in a 7-quart slow cooker.
  2. Cover and cook on high 2 hours or until combined, whisking vigorously halfway through to help chocolate melt.
  3. Switch to warm for serving. Set out whipped cream and crushed candy canes, for topping.

For New Year’s Eve: Cranberry Pomegranate Bellinis with Lime – Five Heart Home

If there’s a night to avoid drinking and driving, it’s New Year’s Eve. But you can still be celebratory with this delectable and festive cocktail, which combines some of the favorite flavors of the season as well as the favorite color – red! Alcohol substitution/addition: Prosecco.

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SIMPLE SYRUP:

  • ½ cup unsweetened 100% cranberry juice
  • ½ cup unsweetened 100% pomegranate juice
  • 1 cup sugar

FOR EACH BELLINI:

  • 1-oz simple syrup
  • 3 to 4 oz Prosecco/champagne, or seltzer
  • Squeeze of fresh lime juice
  • Whole cranberries and slices of lime for garnish, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

TO MAKE SIMPLE SYRUP:

  1. In a small pot, stir together fruit juices and sugar.
  2. Set pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
  3. Turn to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring until sugar completely dissolves.
  4. Pour syrup in a jar and cool completely. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

TO MAKE A BELLINI:

  1. Pour 1 ounce of cranberry-pomegranate simple syrup into a champagne flute.
  2. Top with 3 to 4 ounces of seltzer. (Prosecco if you’re making the alcoholic version.)
  3. Squeeze a wedge of lime into the bellini. For a garnish, use a toothpick to skewer a whole cranberry and half slice of lime, if desired.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

  • If your cranberry and/or pomegranate juice is already sweetened, reduce the amount of sugar in the simple syrup to ½ cup.
  • To make a pitcher of bellinis, mix 1 cup of cranberry-pomegranate simple syrup with a 750mL bottle of Prosecco. Squeeze in the juice of one lime. Taste and add additional simple syrup, if desired.