Mixology Tips to Turn Your Holiday Party into a Golden Evening

The holiday season doesn’t just mean parties at home with friends and family, there’s also the corporate holiday party, as well. And if you’re on the company Party Planning Committee, then you know it can be a challenge to create a fun, captivating event worthy of your employees while keeping within the budget.

Specialty cocktails are always a party favorite, and there are plenty of creative, tasty options that won’t break the bank. Here are a few tips to consider:

• Keep it simple. Keep your recipe to no more than four ingredients. And remember, since you’ll be serving a large number of people, keep the flavor profiles easy and recognizable. Vodka and gin are generally popular spirits and easy to build cocktails around.

• Batch it! Make sure your drink is something that can easily be batched and served. Made-to-order cocktails are always a nice touch, but they can take too much time and create an overly crowded bar. Your recipe should be something that can easily be poured from a pitcher, bottle, or Igloo cooler while still looking pretty and delicious. Avoid heavy or rich ingredients like egg whites or cream, which will settle and separate.

• Looks are important! The key is to keep the recipe simple, but put some pizazz into the aesthetic. Think big, fun garnishes, bright colors, and sparkling ingredients. Cocktails aren’t just about getting a buzz—if done right, they can be another unique aspect of the party.

Need some inspiration? Try the recipe below!

Golden Evening

1.25 oz vodka

0.75 oz pomegranate juice

0.5 oz lemon juice

0.25 rosemary syrup

Edible gold dust

Serve it “up” in a champagne saucer with a rosemary sprig as garnish. This is a fun, glittery drink that’s easy on the palate but dazzles the eyes. Find edible gold dust here. Shake all ingredients with ice, adding ¼ teaspoon of the gold dust. Strain into glass. The drink will be a gorgeous mix of red and glittery gold.

For the garnish: take ½ teaspoon of gold powder and add a few drops of vodka. This will create a liquid gold paint. Dip tip of rosemary into gold paint, then add rosemary to glass. Cheers—and happy office partying!