Unless you are Jewish (Happy Hanukkah!), Muslim (Happy Eid ul-Fitr!) or Hindi (Happy Bada Din!), it’s Christmas time – a time to shop, laugh, spend time with your family and be good to your fellow human. All things which are easier after quaffing copious amounts of alcohol. I’ve researched (I know!) some extra special seasonal favourites from around the globe, to warm your heart and help you stop from killing your partner’s mother.

Australia
Christmas is in midsummer and lunch is often a barbecue of prawns, steak and chicken with ice cream or sorbet for desert, maybe cooked at the beach. Doesn’t sound like Christmas at all. Plus, they drink beer and chilled white wine.

Bulgaria
Rakia is the national drink in Bulgaria and need to reason to drink it, but Christmas will do. Each home makes their own depending on what fruit they have to hand. This is the one my workmate’s family has, although she said it’s way to strong for her. Wuss.

Ingredients
Plumbs
Spices

Procedure
Rakia is made in a metal pot. The fermented fruits are distilled and heated in a low flame. After heating you should throw away the scum at the top of the pot as it becomes toxic. The ingredients used for making Bulgaria’s Rakia should not be either too sweet or too sour or too bitter. Add spices to taste and prepare to have your head blown off.

England
Wassail was originally what people would do in the England of that lover of Christmas spirit, Charles Dickens. Carol-singers  would bring a cup with them, and, as they sang before the homes of wealthy citizens, their mugs would be filled with a hot spiced ale, often with a roasted apple slice floating in it. the drink became known as wassail.

Ingredients
apple cider
1 orange
1 lemon
cinnamon sticks
whole cloves
allspice
nutmeg

Procedure
Thinly slice the orange and the lemon and stir them into the apple cider. Throw in the cinnamon sticks and cloves, then add the allspice. Let the mixture set for half an hour to allow the spices to diffuse throughout the drink. Then place the liquid over a low flame and heat gradually. Simmer for an hour (don’t let it boil!), then allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve by pouring through a strainer, then top each cup with a bit of nutmeg. For a kick, add brandy or whiskey about 5 minutes before done simmering.

France
Champagne is a traditional Christmas tipple and millions of bottles of bubbly are enjoyed every year en France. As if they needed an excuse.  Scientists calculate that there are 49 million bubbles in a bottle of Champagne. This must be true as scientists never make mistakes or lie.

Germany
Mulled wine, (Gluhwein), is a popular Christmas drink in Austria, Switzerland and Germany. It contains red wine, fruit, cloves and cinnamon and is served hot by street vendors at Christmas Fairs, (Weihnachtmarkt).

Ingredients
Ginger ale
Sherry
Brandy
Milk
Cinnamon stick
Whole cloves
Allspice
Ground nutmeg
Ground ginger
Apples

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place whole apples on a baking sheet and bake until brown and tender, about 25 minutes.
Put half of the ginger ale and add the allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger (in a cheesecloth bag). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove spice bag and add the remaining ginger ale, the sherry and the brandy heat until hot. DO NOT BOIL! Whisk in milk and pour into a punch bowl garnish with the baked apples.

Ireland
Hot Guinness is just disgusting, no matter how many cloves you put in it. So we opt for the other national drink; whiskey.

Ingredients
Whiskey
Brown sugar
Lemon slice

Procedure
Boil some water. Put a teaspoon of sugar into a glass. and add a slice of lemon.Pour about a finger of whiskey into the glass. Fill the rest of the glass up with boiling water.Stir to dissolve the sugar.

Mexico
Cafe Mexicano is a non-alco hot drink to warm the cheeks – a fine chocolate coffee. You can always add tequila though.

Ingredients
Cup coffee
Cup heavy cream
Chocolate syrup
Cinnamon
Nutmeg

Procedure
Start with a fine dark cuppa and stir the cream until it’s thickened. Pour the chocolate syrup evenly into four warmed cups. Add the coffee to the chocolate and blend well. Then, sprinkle on the cinnamon and nutmeg and top with cream.

Russia
Sbiten is a traditional sweet honey-based drink which tastes a lot like fruity tea. To make it even more Russian add vodka.

Ingredients
Honey
Cloves
Cinnamon

Procedure
Bring the water to a boil in a pot and stir in the honey. Add spices (cloves, cinnamon, etc.), and red bilberries or cranberry juice. Keep simmering for half an hour.Add the vodka now if you want to. Filter out the herbs and fruit.

USA
Every Christmas we hear about it. It sounds like the most ridiculous concoction of a drink but there is no avoiding it. Egg Nog. Bleugh!

Ingredients

Eggs
Bourbon
Rum
Milk
Heavy whipping cream
Sugar
Nutmeg

Procedure
Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites and mix half the sugar into them. Then mix the egg yolks into the beaten egg whites while pouring slowly (the goal is to keep the fluffiness of the whites). Pour in the rum followed by the milk. Them it’s the bourbon. Add half of the cream to the mixture. Whip the rest of the cream and and gently fold to the mixture.
Pour into glasses and sprinkle with nutmeg.

What will you be drinking to stay warm/have a giggle/persevere?