Cocktails and Mocktails to Enjoy While You're Up Late Wrapping Presents

Mix-up a few boozy or booze-free cocktails to sip while you deck the halls and make the season merry and bright.

By
Elana Lepkowski
Elana Lepowski
Elana Lepkowski
Elana Lepkowski has an extensive background in the gourmet and celebrity food industries. She has been writing for for various media outlets since 2006.
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Updated November 19, 2021
Elana Lepowski
Cocktails and Mocktails to Enjoy While You're Up Late Wrapping Presents

Simply Recipes

In my dreams, my house has an entire room just for wrapping presents. There is a special cutting device for getting the wrapping paper straight and not ripping it. Bows are sorted by color and size.

For someone who was always the designated present wrapper in the family, this is what I fantasize about, but without a fancy room to keep everything in, the kitchen table remains my trusty stand-in. A solid drink in hand makes wrapping a pile of presents even more enjoyable.

If you’ve got a night of wrapping presents ahead of you, take a look at my recommendations for tasty cocktails and zero-proof beverages (because sometimes you just want a cup of cocoa). The perfect drink awaits!

  • Orange & Vanilla Hot Buttered Rum

    Hot Buttered Rum
    Garrett McCord

    If you’ve roped in a few people to help with the wrapping, treat everyone to a batch of these Orange & Vanilla Hot Buttered rum cocktails. The compound butter needs to be made ahead of time, but it will keep for weeks in the refrigerator, which means you’ll have an excuse to make yourself a cup of this richly spiced hot cocktail whenever the fancy strikes.

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  • Spiced Mulled Wine

    spiced mulled wine recipe for christmas
    Nancy Mitchell

    If mulled wine is not on the menu, it’s not a holiday party. And keeping a batch in the fridge means that you can warm yourself up a cup anytime you like. Inhale that sweet and spicy aroma while warming your hands with a cup for an instant gift-wrapping party tonight.

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  • Espresso Martini

    Side view of an Espresso Martini Drink on a marble background.
    Lori Rice

    You want a cocktail, but you’ve also got presents to wrap for all those family members coming by tomorrow and it’s past your bedtime. A little caffeine in that drink could help! An espresso martini, made with coffee liqueur and espresso, will keep you alert through all those bows.

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  • Brown Sugar Irish Coffee

    Two Glasses of Irish Coffee topped with whipped cream
    Garrett McCord

    Prefer your caffeinated cocktails hot? This brown sugar riff on the classic Irish Coffee is a sweet and boozy concoction that is simple to make, with enough brown sugar syrup left over for waffles the next morning.

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    Continue to 5 of 12 below.

  • Milk Punch

    Milk Punch
    Gabe Rodriguez

    Over eggnog? Milk Punch is an elegant alternative, and, despite the name, can be made as a single serving. With a mix of cognac and Jamaican rum, this silky, spicy sipper will make staying up late feel like a treat.

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  • Cranberry Apple Sangria

    Apple Sangria with Cranberries
    Nancy Mitchell

    An easy alternative to making a cocktail when it’s time to stay up late wrapping gifts is to have it already made in the fridge waiting for you! This Cranberry Apple Sangria can be batched up to 3 days ahead of time, and can be served cold, room temperature, and even warmed up!

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  • Fall-Spiced Old Fashioned Cocktail

    Holiday Spiced Old Fashioned Drink
    Nancy Mitchell

    The name might say fall, but you can enjoy this spiced sipper all winter long. For when you need a strong but seasonal twist on a classic cocktail, try this. It also pairs well with those cookies you’ve left out.

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  • Non-Alcoholic Negroni (NAgroni)

    Overhead view of two Negronis with non alcoholic gin, bar nuts and an orange wedge.
    Sam Schick

    A Negroni cocktail is my go-to all-season drink, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find a glass near my wrapping station, but if you’re looking for a non-alcoholic alternative that is pretty close to the boozy original, this is a must try! This bittersweet and slightly citrusy n/a drink has a few more ingredients than the classic, but the mix is still easy to stir together and strikes the perfect balance of flavors. And don’t forget the drink’s own decorative bow, the orange zest!

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    Continue to 9 of 12 below.

  • Hot Mulled Cider

    Hot Mulled Cider
    Elise Bauer

    Put a pot of mulled cider on the stove in the evening and you can keep your cup warm as you top it off all night. Hot Mulled Cider works both on its own, or with the addition of alcohol like spiced rum or brandy. And, if you’re looking for a little something sweet on the side, a few brownie bites are the perfect fuel for wrapping all those presents.

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  • Hot Chocolate

    hot chocolate

    Sally Vargas

    For those times when you do just want a rich cup of hot chocolate, do yourself a favor and get out the good chocolate and make yourself this cup. I especially love it with a touch of cinnamon. Not into, or can’t do, dairy? This paleo version is equally rich and creamy.

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  • Chamomile-Honey Hot Toddy

    Chamomile Hot Toddy
    Garrett McCord

    Done for the night? Ease into rest with a comforting Chamomile-Honey Hot Toddy. The warm infusion of chamomile tea, whiskey, lemon, and honey will whisk you off to sleep in no time.

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  • Spiced Cosmopolitan

    A coup glass filled with a spiced cosmopolitan drink and garnished with an orange wedge

    Lori Rice

    This twist on the classic cosmo from the 90s has been upgraded with falernum, a Bajan liqueur with hints of allspice, clove, and almond.