How to Serve Drinks in Christmas Ornaments (Food-Safe Setup)

Why it works

The drink waits in a glowing red ornament on top of a glass of icy greenery, so the table looks like a centerpiece before anyone has a sip. Pouring at the table gives guests a small moment of ceremony, and the drink stays cold and undiluted until they pour it over the ice.

The idea has been shared widely on social media, popularized by creator Lindsey Noorda's Christmas mocktail video. This guide is our own take on the setup, with our own wording and drink suggestions.

What to buy

• Clear ornaments sold for drinks. The packaging should say food-safe or for beverages. Ordinary decorative ornaments can have paint, glitter or glue inside, so don't use them for anything you will drink.
• Wide glasses with a sturdy rim, so an ornament sits on top without tipping.
• Ice, fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs for the glass. Garnishes are decoration here; guests pour the drink over them.

How to set it up

1. Wash and dry the ornaments and their caps before first use, following the maker's instructions.
2. Fill each ornament with a chilled, still drink and close the cap. Keep filled ornaments in the fridge until the party.
3. Build the glasses: add ice, tuck in a rosemary sprig and scatter in fresh cranberries.
4. Set one filled ornament on top of each glass just before guests arrive.
5. To serve, remove the cap and pour the drink into the glass.

What to put inside

Cranberry juice is the classic choice because it looks like a glass ornament. Any still, chilled drink that pours easily works, and it's worth choosing one that tastes good over ice and rosemary. Good starting points are the recipes below. Mix the base ahead and pour it into the ornaments.

• Keep fizz out of the ornament. Add soda, ginger beer or sparkling wine to the glass after pouring, so nothing carbonated is sealed inside.
• Keep any drink with fresh citrus or dairy chilled and use it the same day.

If some drinks have alcohol

Identical ornaments are easy to mix up. If you serve both alcohol-free and alcoholic drinks, label them clearly or use a different ornament color for each, and keep alcoholic ones away from children and anyone who isn't drinking.