Festive Holiday Drinks

So I'm thinking ahead to  Thanksgiving and I need your suggestions. I love hosting holidays in my home, and I especially love decorating the holiday table. I also try to use my "good" china, silver, and crystal whenever possible. I figure I didn't put it on my wedding registry just so I can look at it setting so pretty in the china cabinet, so why not use it! And, over the years I have collected many festive centerpieces and serving dishes which add so much to the holiday table decorum. The menus are basically the same year after year except for the varying (and sometimes experimental!) side dishes. Turkey and all the fixings are always served on Thanksgiving. Filet mignon steaks, roast beef, and ravioli are the main entrees for Christmas, and Easter brings a variety of barbecued meats including chicken, ribs, and hamburgers for the kiddos. For the accompanying side dishes I like to make recipes that can be prepared in advance, refrigerated overnight, and then baked, microwaved, or tossed just prior to serving. This plan allows me extra time to visit with our guests. Additionally, another time saver is having an alcoholic punch for the adults and a non-alcoholic drink for the children (and adults too!) readily available for the guests. These drinks can be made in batches ahead of the big day and also allows for easy serving of drinks. Anyone can just help themselves when a refill is needed. I found a recipe for a traditional red wine sangria punch from The Minimalist Baker and served it last Christmas. It was easy to make and greatly enjoyed by the of age adults. You can find the recipe on her blog here. For Easter I chose to make a white wine sangriawhite wine sangria punch garnished with lemons, lime, and strawberries. I was so impressed with the red wine sangria from the Minimalist Baker that I decided to see if she also had a recipe for white wine sangria. Good news! She does and it too is delicious! The Minimalist Baker Facebook page is also worthy of a visit! Here you will find a variety of simple plant-based recipes requiring 10 ingredients or less.

The kiddos always request frozen non-alcoholic strawberry daiquiris which I keep in the freezer year round! I found a recipe many years ago that I still use today.  The  Genius Kitchen has a similar recipe for virgin daiquiris that is just as tasty and you can find it here. I also make sure to have several cans of whipped cream available to top off the frozen daiquiri. And depending on the holiday, the kids also love when festive stirrers and straws are included with the drink. The local Dollar Tree Store is a good source for holiday drink accessories. I've even found adorable bunny glasses to serve the frozen drinks. They look so cute when topped with a mound of whipped cream! 

So this year I'm looking for a special alcoholic and also a non-alcoholic drink appropriate for the Thanksgiving holiday that can be made in advance and can easily be served. I did find a recipe from  allrecipes.com for a sparkling apple cider punch that looks interesting and tasty, but would love your suggestions too. Oh, and if you're also looking for a Fall themed shirt or First Thanksgiving baby bodysuit, or even a fun pregnancy announcement shirt, Zoey's Attic Personalized Gifts has you covered!