If there’s one thing that makes a good Christmas great, it’s a well-stocked bar. Serving up a selection of delicious, seasonal specialities will help your guests to get in the festive spirit and ensure your Christmas celebration goes with a swing.

Here are some of our favourite festive tipples to get you started.

Mulled Wine

For many, this classic winter drink epitomises the aromas and flavours of the festive season. The perfect way to keep the cold at bay and warm up after a day out in the fresh air, mulled wine can be served at parties, family get-togethers and cosy nights in.

As mulled wine is served warm, it’s a good idea to present it in a glass with a handle. This will make it easy for your guests to hold their glasses without their hands overheating.

Buck's Fizz

A lot of people kick off Christmas day with a festive glass of Buck’s Fizz. Also known as Mimosa, Buck’s Fizz is a combination of orange juice and sparkling wine. Serve Buck’s Fizz in a classic champagne or prosecco flute to add a celebratory feel to Christmas morning and get things off to the perfect start.

Bubbles

As the day goes on, you and your guests might well want to switch from bucks fizz to bubbles. Prosecco, champagne and cava can all be served in fluted glasses. These are specially designed to help keep sparkling wine fizzy for as long as possible, allowing you to enjoy your drink at leisure.

Irish Coffee

The perfect afternoon pick me up, Irish coffee can be served after Christmas lunch, in the evening or after a brisk walk in the fresh air. You could serve Irish coffee in a ceramic mug, however, if you want your drinks to have more of an impact choose a glass with a handle for your warming tipple.

You can then ‘layer’ your drink by pouring the coffee slowly onto the warmed milk and floating cream on top. As long as you do it gently, and use a steady hand, the different layers should stay put, creating a stunning drink for your friends and family to enjoy.

White Russian

Like Irish coffees, White Russians can be served layered. The easiest way to do this is to pour each separate layer into the glass over the back of a spoon. This will help the liquid to land gently and prevent the layers mixing. Serve White Russians in a tumbler or whiskey glass.

Irish Cream

Irish cream is another popular festive tipple. Served over ice, it makes a sweet, indulgent drink throughout the day. Serve shop-bought or homemade Irish cream in a whiskey glass, tumbler or brandy glass.

Wine

If there’s one drink almost all of us will be drinking on Christmas day, it’s wine. Whether you enjoy a glass of vino with lunch or sat by the fire as the night draws in, a good glass of wine can help to make Christmas day even better.

If you want to do things properly, you should invest in both red and white wine glasses. Traditionally, red wine glasses have larger bowls than white wine glasses. This helps the wine to breathe and allows all the complex flavours and aromas to emerge. The smaller size of white wine glasses, by contrast, helps to keep the liquid cool and fresh.

Sherry

Sherry is a classic Christmas drink in many households. Originating in the city of Jerez in southern Spain, the fortified wine comes in a variety of different styles. Sherry is normally drunk from small, wine-shaped glasses. If you prefer port to sherry, you can also use these glasses to enjoy this seasonal Portuguese favourite.

Brandy

Thrown in with cream, butter and puddings, not to mention cocktails, brandy gets a lot of use around the Christmas period. If you prefer your brandy neat, invest in some high-quality balloon glasses and enjoy this warming winter tipple in style.

The large bowl of a brandy glass gives you plenty of room to swill the liquid around. This helps to release the spirit’s aromas and allows you to warm it up with your hand as you drink – something that further enhances the flavours.

Old Fashioned

Made from whiskey, bitters, sugar and citrus, the Old Fashioned cocktail is another season special. This is a great option for those who like the flavour and warmth of whiskey but don’t enjoy drinking the spirit neat. Its strong flavour and fresh taste make it the perfect choice for a post-lunch digestive or an early evening pick me up.

Old Fashioned cocktails can be served in whiskey glasses or tumblers. Pour the cocktail over ice to bring out its flavours and make it even more refreshing.

Eggnog

Although traditionally an American drink, eggnog is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Made by combining sugar, milk, cream, rum, nutmeg and eggs, the drink is a rich, indulgent concoction perfect for cold winter days. Eggnog can be served in any type of glass though, thanks to its rich flavour, small glasses like tumblers generally work best.

Hot Toddy

There are few better ways to bring a busy Christmas day to a close than with a delicious spiced hot toddy. Made by boiling cinnamon, star anise and cloves with lemon juice and honey and then adding the hot mix to whiskey, this warming drink will help you digest your food and get a great night’s sleep. As this is another hot drink, it’s a good idea to serve hot toddies in a glass with a handle.

Find out more about the different styles and sizes of glasses available, and start shopping for some festive glasses of your own, by exploring the fantastic collection of glassware on our site today.