Words by Justine Cordery
It’s no secret that Christmas is a time for lots of merriment, with most of that merriment being fuelled by alcohol! But if you’re like me and you’re not a big fan of the Christmas classics, mulled wine and eggnog, I have three perfect, easy recipes that you can do instead. Including a mocktail for those days when the thought of alcohol sends any Christmas spirit out of the window!
Recipe One – Poinsettia:
Probably the easiest cocktail you could make as a student, and it looks gorgeous without you having to do any fancy decorative additions!
You will need:
- a bottle of prosecco or any other fizzy wine, chilled
- a carton of cranberry juice, chilled
You will need a large pitcher and you simply mix the two to your liking. If you’re feeling more fizz then go crazy on the Prosecco but if it’s just going to be a nice little starter cocktail, focus on the cranberry juice.
Pour the mixture into wine glasses or champagne flutes…if that’s something that you have in your university housing…and enjoy!
Recipe Two – Sloe Gin Fizz:
As an avid gin lover, this next cocktail suits me perfectly at Christmas time. There are many different recipes for this festive cocktail, but I believe this recipe is the easiest and cheapest for a student.
You will need:
- 50ml sloe gin
- 25ml lemon juice
- 2 tsp sugar syrup
- Ice
- Sparkling water
- One fresh or frozen blackberry
Pour the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup into a cocktail shaker, (or pint glass that you can firmly fit your land around for a lid!) and fill the rest of it with ice. Shake with all that you’ve got, until the mixture is all nice and cold. Then strain the mix into a tall glass that has a little bit of ice in it and top the drink with sparkling water. Mix gently and then get creative with a little blackberry or two, and maybe even a lemon slice if you’re feeling extra festive!
Recipe Three – Mistletoe Martini:
Mocktail time! Having a great time at Christmas does not mean drinking your liver away, and Christmas mocktails need to become more common, so here is my favourite.
Probably the tastiest out of these three cocktails, but that’s probably because when you’re drinking one of these you know you can have so many more!
You will need:
- Equal parts of smooth orange juice and cranberry juice, chilled
- 1 part sparkling elderflower
- A few drops of lemon juice
You need to mix the orange juice and cranberry juice together, then add the lemon juice. Slowly add the elderflower so that it doesn’t fizz up too quickly. Simply serve in a martini glass, which you could rim with sugar to make it look extra elegant.
These cocktails will make any Christmas dinner, Christmas party or any Christmas gathering in general that extra bit more fun, especially when you can take the credit for making these when everyone is complimenting them and asking for the recipe!
