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).
I would love to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch
tweet http://twitter.com/#!/giveawaymommy/status/20545726316544000
main entry: I think I would like trying the Welch’s reciepe for the Sparkling Holiday punch because it has a varity of other beverages like the lemon-lime soda that go in it and I think all those great taste mixed together espeacially the use of cinnomon sticks would really be a great tasting punch to enjoy, thanks
sewitupjulie at gmail dot com
tweeted
http://twitter.com/itsallnew2me/status/20565976613388288
sewitupjulie at gmail dot com
I would like to try Sparkling Holiday Punch.
Awesome blog and thanks for the giveaway!
Would love, love, LOVE to win this!
Happy New Year!
=]
The Sparkling Holiday Punch would be my choice as I love sparkle!
The Spiced Grape Punch sounds rockin!
jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com
the spiced grape punch for me .
nickieisis3atgmaildotcom
http://twitter.com/NICKIEISIS3/status/20595870663712768
I want to try the spiced grape punch! I might just make it for new year’s eve. :)
Sparkling Holiday Punch sounds good!
I tweeted here: http://twitter.com/dresdenrain/status/20600865840697344
the Spiced Grape Punch sounds great
freebiegoddess03@aol.com
I’d love to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch!
I would like to try the Spiced Grape Punch.
I think the Sparkling Cranberry Punch sounds fantastic!
coriwestphal at msn dot com
Because I love cranberry so much I think I would like to try The Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer.
I’d like to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch!
I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/livelovelynn/status/20643038065852416
Tweet: http://twitter.com/coriwestphal/statuses/20643029966655488
coriwestphal at msn dot com
Ooooo the Sparkling Holiday Punch sounds awesome!
Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/mrssquigg/status/20654443817078784
Oh most definitely the sparkling cranberry spritzer! Or maybe the spiced grape punch. Maybe all of them!
I would like to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch at my next get-together.
smchester at gmail dot com
The Sparkling Holiday Punch sounds lovely! Thanks.
The grape cherry freeze sounds really good.
stanleybilly(at)bellsouth(dot)net
I’d love to try the Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer!
Gonna Try the Sparkling Cranberry Punch for my daughters sleepover tomorrow. I’m sure a bunch of tween girls are going to love this, and it looks easy for a dad who doesn’t know how to make anything to do! Thanks!
I’d like to try the Sparkling Cranberry Punch.
Thanks for the contest.
blogged: http://slehan.blogspot.com/2010/11/win-100-from-welchs-blogher.html
I would like to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch
I would love to try the Asian Passion drink recipe.
I’d like to try the sparkling grape punch.
I’d love to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch
I would love to try the Spiced Grape Punch.
The Sparkling Holiday Punch is on my list!
I want to try the spiced grape punch.
I blogged
http://lunaj14568.blogspot.com/2010/12/another-blogher-campaign.html
The Sparkling Holiday Punch would be yummy.
Florida Sunshine Fizz sounds good.Thanks!
lstanziani(at)yahoo(dot)com
I’d like to try the Spiked Grape Punch.
tweet http://twitter.com/#!/paints12/status/20861885880467456
tweeted 12/31
http://twitter.com/maybaby522/status/20882858092531713
My first comment didn’t show, so I am entering it again. I want to try the Sparkling Cranberry Punch recipe.
spiced grape punch
Sparkling Holiday Punch sounds great!
tweet http://twitter.com/#!/LuckyJinxy/status/20894024479014912
I’d like to serve the Spiced Grape Punch at my mother-in-law’s birthday party in January. It sounds delicious.
Tweet
http://twitter.com/mail4rosey/status/20896212106354689
The Ruby Mulled Cider sounds delish.
Just the name Purple Cow, makes it worth trying.
I’d like to try the Sparkling Cranberry Punch!
skkorman AT bellsouth DOT net
I’d like to try the spiced grape punch.
(http://twitter.com/lpauld68/status/20918077034070016)
Thanks!
Sparkling Holiday Punch
I would like to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch
I’d like to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch.
The Spiced Grape Punch sounds good I like to try that one! Great giveaway thank you!
tishajean@ charter.net
Tweeted too
http://twitter.com/#!/latishajean/status/20940176872181760
tishajean@ charter.net
I would love to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch.
Sparkling Holiday Punch – yum!
Thanks
I would like to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch
I would like to try their Grape Cherry Freeze!
tweeted about this giveaway http://twitter.com/elangomatt/statuses/20956701750460416
I would love to try the sparkling cranberry spritzer
I would definitely go with the Sparkling Cranberry Punch. I love anything Cranberry!
Sweeps_momma(at)hotmail(dot)com
I want to try the Holiday Sparkling Punch
I would love to try the Sparkling Cranberry Punch.
I want to try the Sparkling Cranberry Spritzer
I like the Berkshire Berry
The Cranberry Spritzer sounds yummy!
I’d like to try the Sparkling Holiday Punch!
The Sparkling Holiday Punch sounds wonderful!
Thanks for the giveaway!
I want to try sparkling cranberry spritzer.
ardy22 at earthlink dot net
tweet
http://twitter.com/Ardy22/status/21004103362551808
ardy22 at earthlink dot net
I would like to try the Purple Cow
trippyjanet at hotmail dot com
The spiced grape punch! Thanks!
The sparkling holiday punch, mm!