Christmas Beverages

As I contemplated what to share next, I realized I wanted to share something Christmasy but I don't make anything all that amazingly different at Christmas time.  I love our cookies, but they're pretty much the same thing everyone else makes.  Our Christmas dinner is Thanksgiving all over again.  So nothing new there.  This put me in a quandary.  I looked that up.  It is defined as a difficult situation or dilemma.  That seems pretty dramatic.  It's more appropriately, a small quandary that was easily solved.  Growing up, my dad never used the word "drink."  He always asked people if they'd like a beverage and thus the title of this post since that just somewhat stuck with me.  And that is what I am sharing today - two very good Christmas beverage recipes.  I love making these, especially if we're having groups of people over.  Unfortunately I have no pictures of my own since I haven't made them yet this year.  I did find some pictures online.  I love this punch bowl.

The first beverage (or drink if you weren't raised by my dad) is Hot Cocoa Nog.  If you like egg nog and if you like chocolate it is pretty much guaranteed you will love this.  Granted, you would probably have to run a marathon to work off the calories from one cup but we don't talk calories during December.  

The other is called Hot Christmas Drink.  Yes that word is used.  This is quite sweet, so I usually add a little more water than called for but this is also definitely a favorite.

Now, for the family news.  My daughters and I had Christmas lunch today.

They're pretty fun to hang out with.  We have the same quirky sense of humor, also from my dad.  Sometimes we buy things that my husband just rolls his eyes at.  Here is the ornament we fell in love with as we shopped after lunch.  I bought one for each of us.

They are the funniest green sweater wearing llama/reindeers with googly legs.  They make us smile.  The girls also got hippo "sock monkeys."  Did you know they make those?  I also had to include a picture from Reindeer Cookie Day 12.  Here they are!

It was a pretty creative year.  I think we get less and less reindeer every year.  That's okay.  We love seeing what they'll come up with.  And as promised in an earlier post, here is a picture of the tree my poor husband had to endure being poked and stabbed by.  I love it!

It was worth every poke.  But then, that's easy for me to say.  And now, with the tree up, the cookies made and most of our traditions enjoyed, we're looking at the sky saying, LET IT SNOW!!!  We're definitely dreaming of a white Christmas!  


Hot Cocoa Nog


30 oz. EggNog
3 cups milk
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
1 T. vanilla
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg


Mix the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Once heated, pour into mugs and enjoy!


Hot Christmas Drink


12 oz. can frozen grape juice
6 oz. can frozen orange juice
10 cans water (or more)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. whole cloves
4 sticks cinnamon
4 T. lemon juice (from a bottle, doesn't have to be fresh)


Place all in a saucepan and boil 5 minutes, stirring often.  Drain spices out.  Add lemon juice.