Photographs by Subhendu Chaki

Festivity rules supreme as everyone’s favourite time of the year comes tripping along. It’s a season of good cheer replete with parties and events that brim with the holiday mood. And there are some wonderful drinks that fit the festive spirit perfectly.

Add flair to your Christmas parties with some of these delightful cocktail recipes that are not too hard to follow at home. The colours and flavours of these cocktails are sure to add to the celebrations. What’s more, these cocktails will allow you to get creative and you can decorate your glassware and also go for interesting garnishes. Besides fancy glasses, you can also serve your cocktails in the shells of fruits (like oranges), decorate them with Xmas frills and use tiny candy canes as colourful stirrers.

So get shaking and have a smashing time this Christmas.

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS PUNCH

This is a warm drink served on cold winter evenings and of course, traditionally, on Christmas.

GLASS: A large wine goblet or a red wine glass

INGREDIENTS 1tbs sliced almonds 1 pod of cardamom 1 cinnamon stick 3 cloves A slice each of orange and lemon 1tsp brown sugar 90ml red wine 15ml Crème de Cassis or black currant syrup 60ml tea liquor For garnish: Strawberry and raspberry jujubes.

METHOD Caramelise the brown sugar over low heat in a non-stick pan. Dip the rim of the glass in the caramelised brown sugar and then over the chopped almonds, allowing the almonds to stick to the rim. Gently heat all the other ingredients together till they come to a boil. Transfer the punch into the caramelised glass, garnish and serve hot.

ORANGE SNOWBALL

This is a great mixture of fortified wine, spirit, whole egg, sugar and milk that’s served cold. It’s traditionally served as a Christmas drink in the US.

GLASS: Serve in an orange shell placed inside a Martini glass

INGREDIENTS 1 whole fresh orange (large) for serving the nog in 45ml whisky (preferably Bourbon) 15ml sweet sherry (optional) 15ml Cointreau or any other orange liqueur 60ml fresh orange juice (double-strained) 60ml sweetened milk 1tsp condensed milk One pinch of nutmeg powder 5-6 cubes of ice One whole egg (though traditionally the mix must have an egg, you can make the drink without the egg as well) A dollop of whipped cream

METHOD Carefully slice the top of the orange and gently scoop out the orange flesh from the fruit without damaging or puncturing it. Place a short straw through the cap of the orange. Blend the ingredients at high speed and transfer into the orange shell and top up with a dollop of whipped cream. Cover with the orange cap (see picture). Garnish with a fresh sprig of mint. Place a small Christmas tree for decoration in the Martini glass. Carefully place the orange filled with the nog inside the glass and serve.

TIPSY SANTA

I make this traditional drink every Christmas.

GLASS: Tall Pilsner or any other fancy tall glass

INGREDIENTS 30ml vanilla vodka 15ml cherry brandy, cherry syrup or cherry juice 15ml strawberry syrup or fresh strawberry juice 120ml 7up or Sprite 3tbs double-whipped cream 1tsp pomegranate 1tsp choco-chips 6-7 cubes of ice

For garnish: Any traditional Christmas decoration

METHOD In a Pilsner glass stir in the vodka, cherry liqueur, strawberry syrup and the Sprite or 7Up over the ice cubes until cold. Remove the ice cubes from the mix and discard. Float three tablespoons of whipped cream over the mix and finish with a teaspoon of pomegranate and choco-chips. Garnish with an Xmas decoration and serve.