This is a sponsored post from BlogHer and Welch’s.
When my husband and I got married, I was the queen of stressing out over Christmas parties. Our first Christmas together I decided that I was going to throw a party for his co-workers, and I promise you that I cooked for about six days. I found all sorts of elaborate recipes in different cookbooks that we’d received as wedding gifts, and it took me a sweet forever to get all of the food prepared. And then, the night of the party, I spent almost all of my time in the kitchen – trying to remember when to put in this dish and take out that dish and find serving spoons for everything else – and as a result of that I barely spent any time with our guests.
So basically I wore myself out and missed all the fun. Merry Christmas, y’all.
These days I know better. These days I understand that the secret to a great holiday gathering is to KEEP IT SIMPLE. I make basic foods that I know people will love, and I try to think of people’s favorites when I’m planning a menu. I keep things relatively inexpensive, something that’s admittedly easier when you don’t harbor the foggiest notion of serving beef tenderloin and expensive wine. We tend to go with a low-key, no-alcohol plan – nothing too fussy, and nothing that will interfere with our guests’ ability to drive home at the end of the night.
(Right now I’m picturing my 27 year-old self looking at my 41 year-old self and saying, “So. At what point did you become PRACTICAL?”)
(The answer? Somewhere around my 35th birthday, apparently.)
One of my favorite things that I’ve done the last couple of years is to fix a special, non-alcoholic drink for the holidays. I always try to use cranberry juice in the drink because, well, it’s my mama’s favorite thing on earth, and last year I really hit it out of the park. But this year I’m going to try something new – something that you make with Welch’s sparkling grape juice – and I think Mama is going to LOVE IT.
Mainly because I love it. And because I might be a tiny wee bit just-a-smidge addicted. It’s the The Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer.
Hallelujah.
There’s also a Sparkling Cranberry Punch that we’ll use as a back-up. We like options. And if a cranberry drink isn’t your thing, you can rest in the peace of knowing that Welch’s has lots of other great drink ideas:
The Holiday Toasting Cup
Sparkling Holiday Punch
Spiced Grape Punch
So that’s pretty much my lesson-learned-the-hard-way philosophy about entertaining during the holidays. Keep it simple. Make a special drink. And above and beyond everything else, ENJOY YOUR GUESTS. Life’s too short to stay in the kitchen while everybody else is having fun.
If you’d like to win a $100 Visa gift card courtesy of BlogHer, leave a comment on this post that answers the following question: which one of the Welch’s drink recipes would you like to try this year?
Rules:
No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post…Don’t forget to check out my review post next week for 2 more chances to win!
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) Follow this link (https://spreadsheets2.google.com/viewform?formkey=dGg5WXJTRGdUZEEtVzAxYTl0RmY5SGc6MA) and provide your email address and your response to the sweepstakes prompt.
This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail.
You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
For Official Rules click here: http://goo.gl/PPqgR
Sweepstakes ends 5 PM PST on December 31, 2010.
Be sure to check out BlogHer.com exclusive offers page and visit the other 11 participating bloggers (you can enter to win a gift card on each of their blogs, too).
Spiced grape punch – that sounds intriguing to me! : )
I’d like to try the Spiced Grape Punch
Thanks for the giveaway!
eswright18 at gmail dot com
tweet
http://twitter.com/#!/eswright18/status/17101027295629312
Spiced Grape Punch.
kport207 at gmail dot com
I’m going with the Purple Cow, because really, ice cream makes every drink better.
since I like lemons, I’m leaning toward the Sparkling Grape Punch!
I’ve loved Welch’s Grape Juice since the beginning of time. So I’d love to try Welch’s Spiced Grape Punch. What’s not to adore?
Thanks for a great giveaway!
Tweet-a-tweet-tweet!
http://twitter.com/Ida_Sessions/status/17391353931501568
Oh my! I have been stressing for 2 days over what type of punch/drink to make this year. =) My family loves the Welch’s sparkling juices, so I’m thinking this cranberry spritzer is right up our alley. Yay!
The spiced grape drink sounds yummy!
The Sparkling Holiday Punch sounds delightful and refreshing…yum!
The Sparkling Holiday Punch sounds yummy!
Sparkling Holiday Punch
Sparkling Holiday Punch
cranberry spritzer
Spiced Grape Punch
CRANBERRY SPRITZER – FUN!
The Spiced Grape Punch sounds yummy! I love anything grape flavored!
I would like to try the Spiced Grape Punch
sarah.stern.13 at gmail dot com
The spiced grape punch sounds the best to me. Thanks! thebubbledies(at)gmail(dot)com
I would love to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch.
leahforlove at aol dot com
http://twitter.com/sodahoney/status/17999245093117952
http://sodahoney.blogspot.com/2010/12/1231-add-some-sparkle-to-your-holiday.html
Spiced Grape Punch sounds the best to me, thanks!
I love anything cranberry; juice, canned sauce, homemade sauce you name it. I want to try the Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer
Made with: Welch’s Frozen Concentrated Cranberry Juice Cocktail, Welch’s Sparkling Juice Cocktail recipe.
I would love to try Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer!
I’d like to try the Golden Punch
bepoia(at)hotmail(dot)com
The Sparkling Cranberry sounds so good!
I would like to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch.
The spiced grape punch sounds yummy!
sazzyfrazz at gmail dot com
the Sparkling holiday punch
Welch’s Grape- Apple Holiday Punch
The Sparkling Holiday Punch sounds great!
I’d try the Holiday Toasting Cup for New Years
The Holiday Toasting Cup
holiday sparkling punch sounds good :)
sparkling holiday punch!!!
Cranberry Spritzer
Definitely the sparkling holiday punch!
wolverina401 at gmail dot com
I would like to try the Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer.
susitravl(at)gmail(dot)com
My family would love to try the Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer.
I’d like to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch.
I’d like to try the sparkling holiday punch. Yum!
patrice@everydayruralty.com
The Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer sounds like it would be a great addition to my New year’s Eve party
The White Grape Melon-Mint Dazzler sounds delicious.
I’d like to try the spiced grape punch.
I like the spiced grape punch.
I’d love to try the Spiced Grape Punch – maybe for New Year’s Eve this year!
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/guettel78/status/19634972990119937
Been craving ginger ale (thanks to Canada Dry’s recent commercials) so might give the “White Grape Juice Punch†a try…
I would love to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch, I’m a huge punch fan.
hmhenderson AT yahoo DOT com
tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/HendyMartin/status/19713292318547968
hmhenderson At yahoo DOT com
Probably the Spiced Grape Punch would be my choice.
I’d like to try the sparkling holiday punch.
I want to try the Spiced Grape Punch recipe!!
lisalmg25 at gmail dot com
The Spiced Grape Punch sounds tasty.
The Sparkling Holiday Punch looks good.
Thanks for letting me enter the contest!
Sparking Cranberry Spritzer ~ I love this drink! It is so refreshing and festive too :)
The White Grape Juice Punch
I want to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch.
The Sparkling Holiday Punch.
I would love to try the Sparkling holiday punch recipe!
chlorinebrain at sbcglobal dot net
I’d try to Spiced Grape Punch
My girls would like the Grape-Cherry Freeze. thank you!
The Holiday Toasting Cup!!! it sounds delish!
Sparkling Cranberry Punch – yum!
the sparkling cranberry punch sounds yummy!
I’d like to try the White Grape Melon Mint Dazzler.
I would like to try the
Berkshire Berry recipe from Welch’s.
dchrisg3 @ gmail . com
Tweeted
http://twitter.com/#!/DchrisG3/status/20033101757415424
dchrisg3 @ gmail . com
i would love to try the ruby mulled cider!
I would love to try the Springtime Punch recipe!
Tweeted!
http://twitter.com/mom2anutball/status/20107968129273856
Sparkling Holiday punch
oooo the concord grape martini sounds wonderful!!!!
I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/#!/FotoMacro/status/20141418722889728
The Florida Sunshine Fizz sounds really tasty…little bit of summer in the winter…
my tweet http://twitter.com/#!/RePurrPussed/status/20157468864675840
The Spiced Grape Punch sounds divine. I would try that one!
I would like to try the Welch’s Grape- Apple Holiday Punch.
Spiced Grape Punch sounds tasty
tweet Latest: https://www.boomama.net/welchs-share-your-story/?cp=8#comment-155776 less than 5 seconds ago
I like the 100% sparkling juice. I don’t like to make too much of a deal with alcoholic beverages with my kids, but I do like to have “somethingn special” for the New Year.
The Spiced Grape Punch sound really delicious.
Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer
http://twitter.com/dddiva/status/20301395102007296
I would like to try the Florida Sunshine Fizz.
I would like to try the Spiced Grape Punch
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/#!/fanformickey/status/20333759568023552
It’s the sparkling cranberry spritzer for me!
ceriehl at gmail dot com
tweet
http://twitter.com/norcalgal52/status/20337437263798273
ceriehl at gmail dot com
I would like to try the Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer recipe this year.
longbarb1@aol.com
http://twitter.com/#!/Aktrading/status/20369949579018241
I would like to try the Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer.
Sparkling holiday punch
mightynaynay(at)cs.com
i’d like to try Sparkling Holiday Punch
I would try the grapes and pears!
sparkling holiday punch
amy16323(at)gmail(dot)com
My family would enjoy the Sparkling Holiday Punch.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
I would love to try the Mango Twist Martini