Celebrate the 12 days of Christmas with 12 different cocktail mixers, one for each day. Be advised that if you were to actually try to make all of the cocktails for each day after the 12 Cocktails of Christmas are finished you will have made 364 cocktails in total.
The Twelve Days of Christmas, also known as Twelvetide, is a festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity of Jesus. In some Western ecclesiastical traditions, “Christmas Day” is considered the “First Day of Christmas” and the Twelve Days are 25 December to 5 January.
On to the 12 Cocktails of Christmas!
1. Ponche Navideño Mexicano
On the first day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
one Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
This warm, spiced Christmas punch is made by simmering typical Mexican fruits with cane sugar and spices until the heavenly aroma permeates the home.
2. Canelazo (Spiced Cinnamon Rum Drink)
On the second day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
You might be thinking the ingredients sound a lot like a hot toddy, and you would be right. It’s a hot toddy with a Columbian twist.
3. Ponche Crema ~ Venezuelan Eggnog
On the third day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
three Ponche Cremas,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
A tasty eggnog from Venezuela that does not contain eggs.
4. Crema de vie – Cream of life
On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
four Crema de Vies,
three Ponche Cremas,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
You might be thinking the ingredients sound a lot like a hot toddy, and you would be right. It’s a hot toddy with a Columbian twist.
5. Red Spanish Sangria
On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
five Red Spanish Sangrias,
four Crema de Vies,
three Ponche Cremas,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
Sangria recipes vary wildly even within Spain, with many regional distinctions. The base ingredients are always red wine, and some means to add a fruity or sweeter flavour, and maybe boost the alcohol content.
6. Crema de vie – Cream of life
On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
six Leite de Onças,
five Red Spanish Sangrias,
four Crema de Vies,
three Ponche Cremas,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
Leite de Onça is very sweet and has a very mild aroma that evokes the homely atmosphere of a Festa Junina.
7. Puerto Rican Coquito
On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
seven Puerto Rican Coquitos,
six Leite de Onças,
five Red Spanish Sangrias,
four Crema de Vies,
three Ponche Cremas,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
It’s Christmas time and time for Coquito! The traditional drink in Puerto Rico is the Coquito, a rich creamy coconut, and rum drink.
8. Vino Navegado ~ Chilean Warm Wine
On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
eight Vino Navegados,
seven Puerto Rican Coquitos,
six Leite de Onças,
five Red Spanish Sangrias,
four Crema de Vies,
three Ponche Cremas,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
Leite de Onça is very sweet and has a very mild aroma that evokes the homely atmosphere of a Festa Junina.
9. A Winter Margarita
On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
nine Winter Margaritas,
eight Vino Navegados,
seven Puerto Rican Coquitos,
six Leite de Onças,
five Red Spanish Sangrias,
four Crema de Vies,
three Ponche Cremas,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
This Winter Margarita recipe works perfectly with Casamigos Reposado Tequila, which has some pear and citrus on the palate, along with a touch of subtle smoke.
10. Orange Eclipse
On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
ten Orange Eclipses,
nine Winter Margaritas,
eight Vino Navegados,
seven Puerto Rican Coquitos,
six Leite de Onças,
five Red Spanish Sangrias,
four Crema de Vies,
three Ponche Cremas,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
You can use any rum for this drink but we really like Mount Gay Eclipse Rum for this drink.
11. Chimayó Cocktail
On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
eleven Chimayós,
ten Orange Eclipses,
nine Winter Margaritas,
eight Vino Navegados,
seven Puerto Rican Coquitos,
six Leite de Onças,
five Red Spanish Sangrias,
four Crema de Vies,
three Ponche Cremas,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
The Chimayó cocktail is the signature New Mexico drink. It pairs tequila with the full-flavored taste of apple cider, adding a bit of sweetness from the crème de cassis.
12. Caribbean Christmas Cocktail
On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love mixed for me,
twelve Caribbean Christmas Cocktails,
eleven Chimayós,
ten Orange Eclipses,
nine Winter Margaritas,
eight Vino Navegados,
seven Puerto Rican Coquitos,
six Leite de Onças,
five Red Spanish Sangrias,
four Crema de Vies,
three Ponche Cremas,
two Canelazos,
and a Ponche Navideño Mexicano.
This Caribbean Christmas Cocktail Recipe is easy as pie, it incorporates just 4 ingredients. It looks beautiful and snowy, and it’s so, so delicious.
The History Behind the Twelve Days of Christmas
In 567, the Council of Tours “proclaimed the twelve days from Christmas to Epiphany (traditionally 6 January) as a sacred and festive season, and established the duty of Advent fasting in preparation for the feast.” Christopher Hill, as well as William J. Federer, states that this was done in order to solve the “administrative problem for the Roman Empire as it tried to coordinate the solar Julian calendar with the lunar calendars of its provinces in the east.”
