The holidays are all about tradition: getting together with loved ones, sitting down to a festive meal, maybe watching a football game or two. Yet for some reason, we’re relatively devoid of good traditions when it comes to what to drink with the Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. While my family holidays tend to involve me playing bartender and sommelier, there’s no reason you can’t add a bit of diversity to the usual roster of beer and wine with a few fun cocktails.

Gin ‘n Juice

2 oz gin

0.5 oz cranberry juice

0.5 oz orange juice

2 dashes cardamom bitters

Shake and serve in a large rocks glass.

This is a fun drink to get the party started with. The cranberry and orange both have a festive feel, and the cardamom bitters bring an exotic quality. This is also a drink that can be made in big quantities as a punch-type offering. The proportions on the gin and juices should work just fine, but be a bit careful with the bitters, as they can get a bit overwhelming in large quantities. I’d go with half the amount called for per drink and then add more to taste.

European Holiday

2 oz Cognac or other quality brandy

0.5 oz Allspice dram

0.5 oz sweet vermouth

Stir with ice, then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a clove.

I love this as a Manhattan alternative. There’s still that toasty vanilla quality, and the Allspice dram brings some of those classic holiday spices into play, but the brandy gives this cocktail a richer, softer feel than a classic bourbon Manhattan would have. It’s also a bit easier to match with food, since it doesn’t have bourbon’s bold and brash intensity.

Ugly Sweater

1.5 oz spiced rum

0.5 oz lime juice

0.5 oz black strap molasses

4-6 oz hot water

Mix the hot water and molasses and stir thoroughly, until it’s fully dissolved. Then add the rum and lime juice. Garnish with a lime twist.

I hate hot buttered rum. The cocktail in general just makes no sense to me, and I’ve yet to have one that didn’t make me want to gag. That said, I love the idea of having rum during the holidays, because it feels so festive. Just like an ugly sweater, this drink isn’t much to look at, but it’s fun and keeps you warm.

Peppermint Russian

1.5 oz vodka

0.5 oz peppermint schnapps

0.5 oz Kahlua

0.5 oz heavy cream

Shake ingredients with ice, and then strain into a small rocks glass.

I know you all have a bottle of peppermint schnapps stuck way back in your liquor cabinet. Like me, you probably haven’t opened it in a few years, but assuming the lid isn’t stuck shut, this is a fun use. Most people just throw it into coffee, which is a perfectly fine, if boring drink. I decided that finding a good match for chilled peppermint schnapps was the kind of challenge I couldn’t pass up.E

thebarcode@seattleweekly.com