Christmas Drinks 2025: Festive Cocktails & Cozy Sips for Every Celebration
Published on October 28th, 2025
When the evenings turn frosty and twinkling lights fill the streets, there’s nothing quite like festive Christmas drinks to bring everyone together. Whether you’re planning a relaxed family evening, a Christmas Eve gathering or a big New Year’s party, the right drinks menu sets the mood before the food even reaches the table.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the best Christmas drinks 2025 – from classic mulled wine and hot toddy to sparkling gin fizz and fun Christmas punch. You’ll also find ideas for easy Christmas cocktails you can batch ahead, plus beautiful Christmas cocktail names to add a touch of magic to your menu.
What Makes a Great Christmas Drink?
The best Christmas drink cocktails do three things:
1. Warm you up – either literally (served hot in a mug) or emotionally (nostalgic flavours like cinnamon, citrus and vanilla).
2. Feel special – think beautiful garnishes, festive colours and glassware that makes your guests smile.
3. Match the food – rich roasts, cheese boards and sweet treats all pair brilliantly with well chosen Christmas holiday drinks.
Key festive flavours to play with:
• Warming spices – cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, star anise
• Citrus – orange, clementine, lemon and lime
• Berries – cranberry, cherry, pomegranate
• Comfort notes – vanilla, honey, brown sugar and caramel
With that in mind, let’s explore some of the most beloved Christmas drinks to serve this year.
Classic Christmas Cocktails for a Crowd
These are the Christmas holiday drinks that never go out of style – perfect for big gatherings when you want to prep in advance and let everyone help themselves.
1. Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is the ultimate cosy classic when it comes to Christmas drinks. Red wine is gently warmed with clementine or orange slices, whole spices and a touch of sweetness.
Why it works:
• Deep, fruity flavours pair beautifully with roasted meats, cheese boards and mince pies.
• It can simmer away on low heat, making the whole house smell like Christmas.
Tips:
• Choose a medium bodied red wine – nothing too expensive, but good enough to drink on its own.
• Add cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and a splash of brandy for extra richness.
• Keep it warm, not boiling, so the alcohol doesn’t evaporate.
2. Christmas Punch
If you want easy Christmas cocktails that look impressive but are low effort, Christmas punch is your best friend. A punch bowl or large jug filled with festive flavours instantly becomes the focal point of the table.
What to include in a Christmas punch:
• A base of cranberry juice, pomegranate juice or apple juice
• A sparkling element – prosecco, cava or ginger ale
• A spirit – rum, vodka, gin or a mix
• Plenty of fresh fruit slices (orange, lime, cranberries) and herbs like rosemary
You can create your own signature punch and add it to your list of house Christmas cocktail names every year.
3. Christmas Margarita
For those who like something a little different, the Christmas margarita brings a zesty, refreshing twist to your Christmas drink cocktails.
How to give a margarita a Christmas spin:
• Use tequila and triple sec as usual, but add cranberry juice or pomegranate juice for colour and tartness.
• Rim the glass with salt mixed with a little sugar and finely grated lime zest.
• Garnish with fresh cranberries and a small sprig of rosemary.
This drink works perfectly as a welcome cocktail before a rich Christmas dinner.
4. Mulled Cider
Mulled cider is a softer, often lighter alternative to mulled wine but just as cosy.
Why you’ll love it:
• Apple cider gently heated with cinnamon, cloves, ginger and orange is incredibly comforting.
• It pairs brilliantly with pork dishes, cheeseboards, sausage rolls and festive snacks.
Make a big pan, ladle into heat proof glasses or mugs, and serve with a cinnamon stick for stirring.
Cosy Winter Warmers in a Mug
Not every festive sip has to be sparkling. Some of the best Christmas drinks are the ones you enjoy curled up by the tree in your favourite jumper.
1. Hot Buttered Rum
Hot buttered rum is rich, silky and pure comfort.
Key elements:
• Dark or spiced rum
•
A small knob of spiced butter (softened butter mixed with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg)
• Hot water or apple juice
Stir until the butter melts and you’re left with a creamy, warming drink that feels like dessert in a mug. For guests who don’t drink alcohol, you can easily create a non alcoholic version by skipping the rum and using more spiced butter with hot apple juice.
2. Hot Toddy
A hot toddy is one of the most traditional Christmas holiday drinks, perfect for chilly nights or when you’re feeling a little run down.
Classic formula:
• Whisky
• Honey
• Lemon juice
• Hot water
It’s soothing, simple and endlessly customisable. Add a cinnamon stick, a slice of ginger or a few cloves for extra depth.
3. Eggnog
Eggnog might be the most debated of all Christmas drinks – some people absolutely love it, others aren’t sure. When it’s made well, though, it’s thick, creamy and totally luxurious.
What goes into eggnog:
• Milk and cream
• Egg yolks and sugar
• Nutmeg, vanilla and sometimes cinnamon
• Rum, brandy, whisky – or a mix
Serve eggnog chilled in small glasses with plenty of grated nutmeg on top. For a lighter version, you can serve it warm in mugs and use more milk than cream.
Sparkling & Showstopping Christmas Drink Cocktails
When you want something a bit glamorous, these Christmas drink cocktails are ideal. They’re Instagram ready, easy to dress up and perfect for New Year’s Eve.
1. Candy Cane Cocktail
Candy cane cocktails are playful, colourful and full of festive fun.
Ideas for a candy cane drink:
• Start with vodka or white rum.
• Add peppermint liqueur and a splash of cream or coconut milk.
• Shake with ice and strain into a chilled glass.
• Decorate the rim with crushed candy canes and hang a mini candy cane over the edge.
The bright red and white theme also makes this a great candidate for your list of standout Christmas cocktail names.
2. White Christmas Cocktail
The White Christmas cocktail is elegant, creamy and surprisingly adaptable.
Ways to build a White Christmas drink:
• Use vodka or gin as the base.
• Add coconut cream, white chocolate liqueur or vanilla syrup.
• Shake with plenty of ice until cold and frothy.
Serve in a coupe or martini glass and garnish with white chocolate shavings or a dusting of desiccated coconut to mimic freshly fallen snow.
3. Christmas Gin Fizz
A gin fizz is light, bubbly and incredibly refreshing – ideal when you want a contrast to richer Christmas drinks.
How to make it festive:
• Use a good quality gin.
• Shake with lemon juice, a little sugar syrup and egg white (optional for silky foam).
• Top with soda water.
• Add cranberry juice or a spoonful of cranberry sauce for colour and flavour.
Serve in a highball or flute with a sprig of rosemary and a few floating cranberries for a simple, yet very effective, garnish.
Make Your Christmas Drinks Extra Special with Lemonsalt
Beautiful Christmas drinks deserve equally beautiful ingredients and serveware. Small touches make a big difference:
• Use high quality fruit preserves, honey or syrups to sweeten cocktails and mocktails.
• Add a drizzle of premium extra virgin olive oil to savoury bar snacks and sharing boards.
• Serve mulled wine and mulled cider in sturdy, stylish mugs or heat proof glasses.
• Pair rich drinks like eggnog and hot buttered rum with Italian panettone, pistachio creams, biscuits and festive chocolates.
• Dress your table with colourful bowls, platters and serving boards that make your drinks station feel like part of the celebration.
With a thoughtful selection of Christmas drink cocktails, delicious nibbles and beautiful tableware, your home bar can feel every bit as special as your Christmas dinner.
