In case you want your potables a little less potent that straight sparkling wine, here are a few options to consider for your New Year's Eve party.

Champagne punch is usually a popular option.  It's festive and fun, but it allows you to spend a bit less on the bubbly stuff!  Besides, you can probably justify to yourself that you are having a serving of fruit!  With any champagne punch, I recommend buying the less expensive sparkling wines.  It's not as noticeable when you get everything combined.

Here's my favorite holiday punch recipe, straight from Emeril Lagasse's kitchen:

Champagne Punch

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse

1 1/3 cups fresh lemon juice
1 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup orange liqueur
1/2 cup Triple Sec
1/2 cup cognac
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 bottles chilled dry sparkling wine
Orange or lemon slices
Fresh strawberries, optional

Combine the lemon juice, sugar, orange liqueur, Triple Sec, cognac, and orange juice in a non-reactive bowl and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the Champagne and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Pour into a decorative bowl or pitcher. Garnish with orange or lemon slices and fresh strawberries, if desired. Serve in Champagne flutes, wine glasses, or punch cups.


If you want something to serve your designated drivers, these are both good options.  The first is a cold beverage, and the second is a warm one.


Non-alcoholic New Year's punch:

4 liters ginger ale
2 quarts orange juice
2 oranges, sliced into approximately 10 slices each (round, to float in the punch)
20 maraschino cherries without stems

Mix the ginger ale and the orange juice, then top with an orange slice with a maraschino cherry in the middle.  It makes a nice presentation.
If you need to spike this, rum is a nice touch.  


If a warm wassail is more your speed, here's a great one:

1 bottle (64 ounces) Cranberry Juice Cocktail
1 bottle (20 ounces) apple juice
3 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Optional:

Orange slices with cloves to garnish.  Feel free to add sugar if this is not quite sweet enough for you.

Combine all the ingredients (other than the optional garnishes) in a saucepan, and allow to simmer on the stove until warm.  You can leave this on the stove to make your house smell great, too.

If you opt for the garnish, use sliced oranges with a couple of clove stuck in them.

Cheers!