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How to Set Up a Holiday Drink Station

Shake up your holiday party with three cocktails that will make all your guests feel very merry.

Jacquelyn Kazas

Dec 07, 2022

As the winter chill sets in and the holiday season approaches, many people begin to look forward to spending time with family and friends and enjoying festive gatherings. One of the highlights of any holiday party is often the drinks: hot cocoaapple cider, eggnog, and, of course, seasonal cocktails. The handcrafted cocktails I created are soooo gorgeous, they need their time in the sun. A drink station is that ray of light.

But if you're hosting a holiday party, you may be wondering how to create a drink station that will not only add a touch of cheer to your event, but also leave a lasting impression on your guests. Here are some tips and ideas for creating a holiday drink station that will be the talk of your gathering. Maybe even the town.

Holiday cocktail wall and drink station full of multiple glasses of different varieties of cocktails surrounded by holiday colored balloons and flowers.

Setting up the holiday drink station

When it comes to creating a holiday drink station, one of the most important things to consider is where you'll set it up. Ideally, you'll want to choose a central location in your space, but try something new this year with a cocktail wall instead of the traditional bar or kitchen island. It's an elegant way to display and serve holiday beverages; it also makes for a great photo-op. You can rent a wall for the drink station, which most party planners or balloon vendors will know where to look.

While the drinks will keep your guests coming back for another round, the décor is what really makes the drink station pop. To match with the festive season, I painted my cocktail wall a fun mint green and added a "Be Merry" decal designed by a calligrapher. I added some beautiful holiday balloons around the wall along with floral arrangements from a local florist.

Holiday cocktail recipes

Now that the drink station is setup, it's time to focus on the cocktails. It's good to offer more than one cocktail so everyone's palette is satisfied. We've created three simple holiday cocktail recipes that are as beautiful as they are delicious. Guests can choose from a holiday sangria, sparkling pear cocktail, and a peppermint vodka cocktail. You can make the holiday sangria in advance, but the other two cocktails require a la minute mixing.

drink station holiday sangria
Holiday Sangria
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PREP TIME: 10 minutesINACTIVE TIME : 12 hours TOTAL TIME: 12 hours 10 minutes
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Equipment
  • Lowball glasses

Ingredients

Instructions
    1
  • Add all the ingredients except the garnishes into a large pitcher and stir. Place the pitcher in the fridge and let sit overnight for all the flavors to meld.
  • 2
  • Serve each cocktail with cinnamon sticks, cranberries, and fresh greenery.
drink station sparkling pear cocktail
Sparkling Pear Cocktail
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PREP TIME: 5 minutesTOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
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Equipment
  • Coupe glass

Ingredients

Instructions
    1
  • Pour the ginger liqueur and pear juice in a glass, then top it off with Champagne. Add sliced pears, star anise, and rosemary or thyme for garnish.

drink station. Banner ad for Harry & David wine.
Peppermint Vodka Cocktail
Peppermint Vodka Cocktail
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PREP TIME: 5 minutesTOTAL TIME: 5 minutes
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Equipment
  • Cocktail shaker
  • Martini glasses

Ingredients
  • 6 ounces vodka
  • 1 cup peppermint schnapps
  • 12 cup half & half
  • 2-3 candy canes (crushed)
  • Harry & David Peppermint Bark (for garnish)
  • 1 peppermint swizzle stick (for garnish)

Instructions
    1
  • In a cocktail shaker add the vodka, peppermint schnapps, half & half, and crushed candy canes. Shake until combined then pour into martini glasses.

  • 2
  • Serve each cocktail with a piece of peppermint bark and a peppermint swizzle stick.

AUTHOR

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