15 Festive Punch Recipes for Holiday Parties
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Here are 15 Festive Punch Recipes for Holiday Parties! Check out these recipes (with and without alcohol) for fall celebrations, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Everyone loves a good punch recipe!
September 20th is National Punch Day! Celebrate by making a bowl of your favorite punch. Or go to your favorite bar and order a fun punch drink. When the holidays roll around, you’ll want to save these 15 Festive Punch Recipes for Holiday Parties because it’s really fun to display a bowl of punch for a party! Share your punch on social media today using the hashtags #NationalPunchDay, #PunchDay and #RecipesForHolidays.
Be sure to follow my September Food Holidays page so you never miss a food holiday in the month of September!
“At the punch-bowl’s brink, let the thirsty think, what they say in Japan: first the man takes a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes the man!”
– Edward Rowland Sill
The History of Punch:
Punch refers to a non-alcoholic or alcoholic drink containing fruits or fruit juice. Punch is usually served at parties in punch bowls.
This drink (known as “paantsch” at the time) was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the late 17th century. Sailors brought back the drink when sailing in the Indies. The weather was too hot for beer, so they made punch recipes from an alcohol called “aarack.” It’s considered to be the earliest cocktail.
Punch was first recorded in English documents in 1632. The first punch recipes were Wassail-type punches containing wine or brandy. With the import of rum beginning in 1655, more modern rum punch recipes emerged.
The first known recipe for punch was published in 1638.
It is said that the Founding Fathers and friends drank 76 bowls of punch after signing the Declaration of Independence.
By the mid 18th century, punch was a very popular libation. And by the mid 1800’s it was already considered old-fashioned!
Here are 10 Punch Recipes with Alcohol:
Thanksgiving Punch: This punch made with apple cider, whiskey, fruit juice, brandy, and soda packs the delicious flavors of fall and winter in one delicious holiday drink recipe!
Cranberry Champagne Party Punch: A sweet but not too sugary cocktail that’s great for a crowd, this festive punch comes together in a few minutes and will look simply gorgeous on a holiday table!
Spiked Pumpkin Pie Punch: This is the ultimate Thanksgiving or Halloween Punch! With apple cider, real pumpkin, and cream soda, you’ll never believe how tasty this fun punch is.Try this one with or without alcohol.
Christmas Punch: This easy punch recipe is a holiday favorite! With just 4 ingredients (plus alcohol if using), this gorgeous holiday punch recipe comes together quickly and easily.
Jingle Juice Holiday Punch: This punch recipe is simple, delicious, and beautiful! You only need three ingredients to craft this delicious holiday punch recipe that everyone will love!
Rudolph’s Tipsy Punch: This is a festive holiday vodka punch. This Christmas cocktail recipe is great for party entertaining and it can easily be made kid-friendly.
White Christmas Punch: This is a simple punch recipe that is perfect for any Christmas party or gathering. Everyone loves this white punch!
Cranberry Orange Holiday Punch: This punch is a festive party drink that is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas celebrations! This bright and bubbly vodka punch is made with the season’s favorite flavors like cranberry, orange, apple, and ginger.
Christmas Sparkling Wine Punch: This Christmas punch with champagne, vodka, cranberry juice, orange juice, and ginger ale makes the perfect sparkling holiday drink!
Fireball Punch: This punch is made with orange juice, apple cider, and Fireball whisky that tastes like cinnamon red hot candies. This is a pretty fall holiday punch!
Here are 5 Non-Alcoholic Punch Recipes:
Grinch Punch: This punch is a festive non-alcoholic drink that’s perfect for your next holiday party. This pineapple lime punch is kid-friendly, fruity, sweet, and fun!
Eggnog Punch: This is a delicious and decadent punch recipe that is perfect for the holidays!
Holiday Punch: This punch is made with fresh fruit juices, frozen lemonade, and lemon-lime soda. It’s a non-alcoholic holiday punch that will be the hit of your holiday gathering!
Easy Fall Party Punch: This punch is so simple to make with just 3 ingredients, and it’s just bursting with fall flavor! It’s perfect for any fall holiday or family get together, and it’s sure to be loved by both kids and adults.
Witches Brew Halloween Punch: This punch will make all your goblins grin! It’s an easy sparkling lime punch the whole family will love. Add dry ice to the punch bowl for an extra-spooky effect!
Fun Facts About Punch:
- It is believed that the word “punch” was derived from Hindi (meaning “five”) because punch was made from alcohol, sugar, juice, water and spices.
- William Randolph ordered a bowl of punch in a tavern in Williamsburg in 1736 to close a land deal with Thomas Jefferson’s father.
- London’s Punch Room originally only sold punch. Now it’s a craft cocktail bar.
- New York’s Dead Rabbit Bar serves punch as a welcome drink to every guest (or at least… they used to- not sure if they still do!)
- Plantar’s Punch was invented at the bar of the Plantar’s House Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri.
