For many of us, the holidays are all about tradition. The parties, the food, the drink. This year, we want to help you perfect your holiday party game with a quick guide to the ultimate Christmas cocktails. Where to begin? Stocking your bar. By ensuring you have the basic core ingredients of many holiday drinks, you can be a home mixologist, but by adding a few special spirits and touches, you can be a mixologist with flair.

Home Bar Must-Haves for Holiday Cocktails

Basics include:

• Bourbon
• Gin
• Rum
• Tequila
• Vodka

Add-Ons:

• Bitters - If you get one bottle of bitters, get Angostura but try others as well.
• Sweet Vermouth
• Dry Vermouth
• Maraschino Liqueur - Consider this a secret weapon in your creative kit of cocktails. It's bittersweet, almond flavored liqueur made from Marasca cherries in Italy. Not to be confused with maraschino cherries, which you should have as well.
• Kahlúa - Whether it's White Russians, Black Russians, or in your coffee, this coffee-flavored liqueur from Mexico goes far with crowd pleasing and experimentation
  
• Sugar cubes

Christmas Party Cocktail Ideas and Recipes

Vanilla Dark and Stormy  

This simple recipe is aptly titled for Minnesota's ever-changing weather. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dark rum
• 3 cups ginger beer (NOT ginger ale)
• Juice of 4 limes
• Splash of vanilla extract

• 1 oz. gin
• 1/2 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
• 1/2 oz. lemon Juice
• 1 egg white
  
• Whipped cream (to top)

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Top with whipped cream and serve.

Manhattan with Maraschino Liqueur

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. bourbon
• 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1/4 oz. Maraschino Liqueur
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Orange (optional)
• Bourbon cherry for garnish
• Old Fashioned glass

Pour bourbon, vermouth, Maraschino Liqueur and bitters over the ice. Garnish with orange, and bourbon cherry, if desired. We recommend.

White Russian

Ingredients:

• 1 part Kahlúa
• 2 parts vodka
• 1 part heavy cream

Fill a rocks glass with ice cubes. Add Kahlúa and vodka, finish up with a cream layer.

Chili Chocolate Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

• 1 part Kahlúa Chili Chocolate
• 3 parts Tequila
• 2 dashes of Angostura bitters

Add together, enjoy. This one will have a kick.

Rudolph's Tipsy Spritzer

Ingredients:

• 5 cups orange juice
• 2 cups chilled lemon-lime soft drink
• 1 1/2 cups vodka
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
•  1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice  

Stir together all ingredients; serve over ice. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh rosemary sprigs. Great for a punch bowl.