10 Christmas Holiday Punch Bowls

Popular communal gatherings have been punctuated by big batch punches for the past century and a large Christmas holiday get-together need not be an exception. Try any one of the 10 potent punches we've collected here (including a trio of non-alcoholic options) at your holiday bash. You won't be disappointed.

By That's the Spirit

1. ENGLISH CHRISTMAS PUNCH

Ingredients:

3 cups strong tea

2 bottles (750-ml each) dry red wine

1 bottle (750-ml) dark rum

1 lb superfine sugar

Juice of 1 large orange

Juice of 1 large lemon

Mixing instructions:
Heat wine, tea and fruit juices in a chafing dish or saucepan, but do not boil. This punch may be served from the chafing dish or transferred to a heatproof punch bowl.

Put sugar into a large ladle and saturate with rum. If ladle is not large enough for all the sugar, put remainder in punch bowl. Ignite rum in ladle and pour blazing into punch. Stir well, extinguish flames, and then pour remainder of rum into punch. Stir again and serve.

Makes about 27 servings.

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2. APPLE CIDER SPARKLE

Ingredients:

6 cups apple cider

2 cups cranberry/raspberry cocktail (or orange juice, orange-mango or your favorite juice blend)

1 bottle (750-ml) champagne, or sparkling wine

1/2 cup lemon juice

Mixing instructions:
In punch bowl, large pitcher, or even several pitchers combine apple cider, orange juice and lemon juice.

Just before your guests arrive, slowly add champagne or sparkling wine. Serve immediately or keep chilled with large ice blocks.

Makes about about 15 servings of 6 oz. each. For a non-alcoholic punch, use sparkling grape juice in place of the wine or champagne.

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3. APPLEJACK PUNCH

Ingredients:

2 bottles (750-ml) applejack or Calvados

2 litres of lemon-lime soda or 1 litre each of lemon-lime soda and club soda

2 cups light rum

2 cups peach brandy

1/2 apple, sliced

1/2 cup maple syrup or sugar syrup to taste

1 cup brandy

1 pint lemon juice

Mixing instructions:
Pre-chill all ingredients and pour applejack, rum, peach brandy, brandy, lemon juice and maple syrup into a chilled punch bowl with a large cake of ice.

Stir well, adjust sweetness, and pour in soda. Stir gently and garnish with apple slices.

Makes about 45 servings.

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4. BIG PARTY PUNCH (NON-ALCOLHOLIC)

Ingredients:

96 oz pineapple juice

8 oz lime juice

56 oz ginger ale

28 oz club soda

24 oz orange juice

2 cups strawberries halved

2 cups sugar

12 oz lemon juice

1/2 cup mint leaves

Lemon slices

Orange slices

Mixing instructions:
Mix sugar and juices in a blender. Add mint leaves and chill for a couple of hours.

Strain over a block of ice into the punch bowl. Add the ginger ale and club soda to the bowl. Stir gently to mix all the ingredients. Add strawberries and fruit slices.

Makes approx 70 servings of 4 oz each.

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5. BUBBLY PUNCH

Ingredients:

6 bottles champagne (or sparkling wine)

5 lemons

5 limes

5 oranges

4 cups strawberries

2 cups sugar

1/2 bottle brandy (375 ml)

1 pineapple (cut into chucks or rings)

Mixing instructions:
Mix sugar, brandy and 5 bottles of the champagne in a large punch bowl. Then stir in thinly sliced orange, lemon and lime rounds and pineapple chunks. Stir until well mixed.

To complete, garnish with strawberries and pour in the final bottle of champagne theatrically over the top. Use a large ice block to keep the punch cool.

Makes approximately 35 servings.

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NEXT 5 HOLIDAY PUNCHES >>

More Christmas holiday drink ideas:

Festive Holiday Shooters

Holiday Punch for a Party

Christmas Holiday Eggnogs

Hot Drinks for the Christmas Holidays

Holiday Cider Drinks

Christmas Holiday Martinis

5 Christmas Holiday Desserts in a Glass

Add some holiday flare to your Christmas party with: