“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Christmas is a holiday known for many things, but there’s something about Christmastime foods and drinks that distinctly reminds us deep in our guts of the specialness of this season. Some of our most fond comforts at Christmas include tasting hot apple cider at grandma’s house or holding a cup of hot cocoa to keep your hands warm while looking at Christmas lights. If something in you associates certain beverages with tender Christmas memories, then this Top 5 List is for you!
The Top 5 List of Christmas Beverages:
5) Hot Apple Cider
Apple juice is everyone’s favorite childhood beverage, so you might as well try the warm version, right? You can have it regular and traditional like grandma used to make it, or spiced if you’re feeling bold. Stir it up with a whole cinnamon clove for that added authentic warmth.
PRO TIP: Starbucks has a rad seasonal drink on their menu right now called “Caramel Apple Spice” which is steamed apple juice mixed with cinnamon syrup and topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle.
4) Hot Cocoa
A staple of the holiday season. What’s better than a simple chocolate milk made warm to adapt to the cold weather? You can have it simple and chocolatey, or you can add pretty much any dessert-centered additive to it: whipped cream, coffee creamer, peppermint, cinnamon, caramel syrup, etc. Hot cocoa is super simple, but is ripe for customization! It would be higher on the list if it weren’t for the fact that it’s just not as good after Christmas. It should be a nice neutral beverage, but I just can’t do it after December 25.
3) A Glass of Milk
I’m jealous of St. Nick’s jobsite snack benefits!
We all know that the big man in the red suit requires this as tribute when he comes to bring us gifts late into Christmas Eve, but we mortals like it too! What else are you gonna drink along with your Christmas cookies? Water? Are you a psychopath? Ice cold milk (and maybe the aforementioned hot cocoa) is the only beverage that appropriately pairs with our yuletide confections.
2) Eggnog
Besides being #2 on this list, eggnog has also earned itself the “Most Improved Christmas Beverage” award in my book. Like many people out there, I used to loathe eggnog with the entirety of my being. I refused to even try it! Who in their right minds would ever want to drink eggs? Ever heard of salmonella?
Calm down, past Travis! First of all, that’s not how eggnog is made; because of modern day advances in food science, it is unlikely for today’s eggnog to have food borne microbes like salmonella (thank goodness for pasteurization). Second, when forming an opinion about something, it’s usually helpful to actually try it. When I finally tried eggnog, my palate exploded! I can’t get enough eggnog now! (Actually I can, that’s a lot of cholesterol. Eggnog is awesome, but drink it sparingly.)
Also, many of us may not think of this, but eggnog makes a great coffee creamer! Sprinkle some allspice on the top for a little bit of extra flavor, and you’ve got yourself a legit changeup to the daily routine.
Honorable Mentions:
Before we reveal the #1 Christmas beverage (in my humble opinion), here are a few notable drinks that almost made the cut:
Orange juice (because it’s cold season)
Herbal mint tea (because it’s cold season)
Plenty of water (because it’s dry outside and it’s cold season)
Peppermint Mocha Frappuccinos
NyQuil (have I mentioned that it’s cold season?)
And here is the #1 Christmas beverage in this reviewer’s opinion:
1) Decaffeinated Coffee
“Ew… Decaf? I would never!”
Just hear me out.
Our world is relentless: we are required to work so hard all the time, and if you’re ever taking a proper moment to not work then there’s obviously something wrong with you. The world tells all of us that we have to be the best at absolutely everything we do (or at least better than our neighbors) even though it is literally impossible for all seven billion people in the world to be “the best.” We have expectations and obligations, some of which we impose upon ourselves, that consume our thoughts every moment. And we humans are merely human. Every morning of the year, we feel like we have to take whatever help we can get to give us more energy and efficiency. Three or four cups of coffee help for a moment and then cause our heart rates to dramatically increase and our brains to feel anxious.
But then comes Christmas, that silent night, to disrupt all of that. On Christmas, we get to take a moment to celebrate and rest (to “sabbath” if you will) with those we love. This period of heavenly peace is not a time for chemically-induced anxiety in the form of caffeine. It’s a time of being in the moment, breathing in the smell of those cookies you just baked, watching It’s a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story on TV, and enjoying the warmth (physical and emotional) of being in the home with your loved ones.
The “pattern of this world” tells us that these are all inefficient wastes of time, but our God calls us to something better: a renewed and transformed mind (Romans 12:1-2).
Of course I’m not saying that you’ve gotta quit cold turkey: have that small cup or two in the morning while the kids are opening presents, but after that give yourself permission to rest and renew. And when you’re winding down on Christmas evening at Farmer Grey’s party and they’re passing around the pumpkin pie and coffee, you can politely ask for decaf because you’ve already got everything you need in that moment.
The perfect ending of a perfect day.
Did we leave any of your favorite Christmas drinks out? Are there any that should be higher? What beguiling beverage makes you anticipate the Christmas season?
-Travis Morrill
Communications and Facilities Administrator at Friends Community Church