Occasions
Drinks for the dates in the calendar worth celebrating.
- Christmas cocktailsChristmas cocktail recipes with UK measures: Buck's Fizz for the morning, mulled wine and Snowballs for the afternoon, and Espresso Martinis after dinner.23 recipes
- Christmas mocktailsAlcohol-free Christmas drinks that feel like a treat: mulled apple, alcohol-free eggnog, cranberry fizz and more.10 recipes
- New Year's Eve cocktailsSparkling and celebratory cocktails for New Year's Eve: French 75, Champagne Cocktail, Kir Royale, Old Cuban and more.15 recipes
- Dry January drinksAlcohol-free drinks for Dry January that are worth the effort: spritzes, sours, long coolers and a proper Virgin Mary.23 recipes
- Burns Night cocktailsScotch whisky cocktails for Burns Night on 25 January: the Bobby Burns, Rob Roy, Rusty Nail, Blood and Sand, Penicillin and Hot Toddy.8 recipes
- Valentine's Day cocktailsValentine's Day cocktail recipes with UK measures: Pornstar Martini, French Martini, Kir Royale, Rossini, Chocolate Martini and alcohol-free options.22 recipes
How much drink to plan for
A common rule of thumb is one drink per guest for each hour of the party. Round up a little, and add water and soft drinks on top. The bottle sizes then tell you how far each one goes: a 70 cl bottle of spirit makes 14 drinks with a 50 ml measure, and a 75 cl bottle of sparkling wine tops six or seven drinks of 100 to 120 ml.
Spirit bottles are the easy part. Work out the mixers, fruit, garnishes and ice too, because ice is easy to underestimate. Fill the glasses properly, since a drink with too little ice warms and waters down quickly. Check the recipe for the number of servings, then scale it with the servings button.
What to batch and what to make to order
Batch anything that can sit. A punch can be mixed and chilled in advance, with the prosecco added at the last moment. The Christmas punch serves ten, and eggnog and mulled drinks can be prepared ahead too. Party and big-batch drinks lists the options and how many each serves.
Make to order only the drinks that spoil quickly. Shaken drinks and anything with fizz are best made fresh. A good compromise is to pre-mix the base for New Year cocktails and add the sparkling wine to each glass at the last moment.
Two drinks plus water is plenty. Set up a drinks table with ice, glasses and garnishes so guests can pour their own.
Offering alcohol-free drinks
Plan an alcohol-free drink from the start, not as an afterthought. Serve it in the same glassware, with the same garnish, and put it out with the other drinks so nobody has to ask. Keep jugs of alcohol-free drinks clearly separate from the alcoholic ones.
Christmas mocktails are a good model, and the mocktails page has more. Drivers, pregnant guests and anyone taking part in Dry January will thank you.
Choosing an occasion page
Each page covers a different drinking style. Christmas cocktails are mostly warm, creamy or festive drinks that can be made ahead. New Year is sparkling and quick. Burns Night cocktails are built around Scotch.
For any of them, start with a food plan, then choose drinks that fit the menu and the length of the evening. Pick one drink to start, one to finish, and water and an alcohol-free option throughout.
Questions people ask
How much alcohol do I need for a party?
A common rule of thumb is one drink per guest for each hour of the party. Round up a little, and add plenty of water and soft drinks. If you are batching cocktails, multiply the recipe by the number of guests, then check the total against your bottle sizes.
How many cocktails can I make from one bottle of spirit?
A 70 cl bottle gives 14 measures of 50 ml, which is the amount in a Daiquiri. A drink with a bigger pour uses more: a dry martini has 60 ml of gin, so a bottle makes about 11. Spills and heavy pours will reduce the total, so buy a little extra.
How many glasses do you get from a bottle of sparkling wine?
A 75 cl bottle makes about six flutes of 125 ml. In cocktails, the measure is usually 60 to 120 ml, so one bottle tops six or seven drinks of 100 to 120 ml, or more where a drink uses only 60 ml. Check each recipe.
What cocktails can I make ahead for a party?
Punches, mulled drinks and eggnog are the best make-ahead options. Mix and chill them before guests arrive, then add any sparkling wine or soda at the last moment. Drinks that are shaken, built over ice or topped with fizz are better made fresh.
What should I serve guests who are not drinking?
Serve a proper alcohol-free drink, in the same glass and with the same garnish as the cocktails. Put it out from the start. A mocktail, an alcohol-free sparkling wine or a mulled apple juice all work, and they can be made in batches.
How can I host a party without staying behind the bar all night?
Choose one or two drinks that can be made in advance, and set up a drinks table with ice, glasses, garnishes and a jug of water. Guests can serve themselves from a batch drink, so you can spend your time with them rather than making each cocktail to order.