Whether you're hosting your first festive soirée or planning your annual Christmas gathering, there's one universal truth: a great drinks party starts with great drinks.
And if you’d rather spend your evening clinking glasses than playing bartender all night, we’ve got the perfect solution. At Kocktail, we’ve bottled the bar — literally — so you can host effortlessly, serve beautifully, and enjoy the party too.
Here’s your step-by-step guide to throwing the ultimate Christmas drinks party in 2025.
Step 1: Choose Your Date & Style
Are you planning a casual Friday night drop-in? A post-dinner cocktail hour? Or an all-out festive bash?
Lock in your date early and decide what vibe you’re going for — cosy and candlelit, or glitzy and loud? This will help you choose your drinks, snacks, and playlist accordingly.
Pro tip: Midweek evenings or Sundays are perfect for smaller, more intimate cocktail parties — with fewer calendar clashes.
Step 2: Curate Your Cocktail Menu
You don’t need a full bar — you need a tight, well-curated cocktail selection. With Kocktail’s bottled collections, you can offer variety with all the drama, without the faff.
Our Top Picks for Party Season:
- The Christmas Collection – 4 x 100ml festive favourites: Gingerbread Espresso Martini, Winter Spiced Negroni, Mince Pie Old Fashioned & Amaretto Sour (launching September)
- Best Sellers Trio – Espresso Martini, Passionfruit Martini, and Margarita — crowd-pleasers, boxed beautifully
- The Old Fashioned Collection – Perfect for whisky lovers and slow-sippers
- The Negroni Collection – For bitter cocktail fans and aperitivo enthusiasts
Serving tip: One 500ml bottle serves 5 cocktails — enough for one round for a group or two drinks each if you’re keeping it small.
Step 3: Keep It Simple With Setups
Skip the fully stocked bar. Instead, create one or two beautifully styled self-serve cocktail stations. All you need is:
- A few bottles of Kocktail
- Ice buckets
- Garnishes (think orange peel, cherries, dried fruit)
- Pre-cut garnish cards or menus so guests know what they’re drinking
Bonus: It looks elevated, but keeps your hands free.
Step 4: Snacks That Match the Sip
You don’t need a full meal — but you do need good nibbles. Here’s a quick pairing guide:
- Espresso Martini - Dark chocolate, salted nuts, tiramisu bites
- Margarita - Mini tacos, nachos, guacamole
- Amaretto Sour - Almond biscotti, panettone, baked Brie
- Negroni - Rosemary crisps, olives, cured meats
- Old Fashioned - Spiced nuts, candied bacon, blue cheese toasts
Step 5: Add a Little Magic
It’s the details that make a night memorable. Consider:
- Festive glassware - martini coupes or cut-crystal tumblers
- Mini menu cards or a printed drinks list
- A signature serve - e.g. “Emily’s Gingerbread Espresso Martini”
- Ambient lighting - candles, fairy lights, or a roaring fire
- A holiday playlist - classy, not cheesy (unless cheesy is your vibe)
Final Touch: Stock Up Early
Order your Kocktail bundles by early December to avoid the pre-Christmas delivery rush. Every bottle comes beautifully packaged and ready to serve — so you can focus on hosting, not mixing.
Need help choosing?
Try the Mixed Case — 6 full-size bottled cocktails covering every guest and every taste.
Ready to Raise a Glass?
Hosting doesn’t need to be hard work. With Kocktail’s handcrafted, ready-to-serve cocktails, you can create a festive drinks party that’s elegant, effortless, and genuinely enjoyable.
