Hot Buttered Rum:

Serves 4

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

½ cup unsalted butter

1 tsp. finely grated orange rind

¼ cup sugar or honey

½ tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ tsp. cloves

pinch of salt

¾ cup spiced rum

2 cups boiling water

4 cinnamon sticks

1. Beat together the brown sugar, butter, orange rind, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in a bowl with an electric mixer.

2. Mix in the rum and boiling water until the sugar mixture dissolves.

3. Divide the mixture into 4 mugs and garnish each with a cinnamon stick.

Home-made Eggnog:

Serves 8-10

4 cups milk

5 whole cloves

½ tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

12 whole egg yolks

1 ½ cup sugar

2 ½ cup light rum (or to taste)

4 cups light cream

2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

1. In a small saucepan, warm milk, cloves, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and cinnamon over low heat. Slowly bring mixture to a boil for about 5 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Then, slowly whisk in the hot milk mixture. Once combined, return mixture to pan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Allow mixture to thicken, but do not boil.

3. Strain mixture to remove cloves and let cool to room temperature (about an hour.)

4. Stir in rum, cream, 2 tsp. vanilla extract, and nutmeg. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Ginger Snap:

Serves 1

¾ oz. spiced rum

½ oz. ginger-flavored Brandy

4 oz. eggnog

1 ginger snap

Mix everything (even the cookie) in a blender until smooth.

Christmas Cookie:

Serves 1

1 oz. peppermint schnapps

1 oz. Kahlua

1 oz. Bailey’s

Mix in any order, serve on ice, and enjoy!