Holiday Post 2015: Taking a cocktail break

I continue this week with my traditional series of holiday posts. This time, let's just take a small pause for a cocktail or two. Yes, enjoying a cocktail and some spirits is often a nice way to enjoy the holidays. If you drink, please do safely and in moderation. If you have had a bit much, please do not drive. I do not want to hear you became part of the holiday tragic statistics. If not, that is cool too. There are plenty of non-alcoholic alternatives out there.

Photo from Flickr user Lemon168, used by terms of Creative Commons License https://www.flickr.com/photos/11510598@N07/8171093396

Want to give the gift of booze?

• Via The Advocate, "18 Edible, Drinkable Gift Ideas." OK, so I tossed some edible stuff too. You have to eat something while you are drinking, or you should. Naturally, since it is The Advocate, you also get some puns and humor on tops and bottoms. The fancy salt is a bit much in my opinion.
• Need a gift for the wine lover in your life? Want to give them something other than wine? Here are some "brilliant" gifts and a few other weird ones. I think I will be skipping the $110 wine and spirits aerator. My spirits can just breathe fine in a glass. Or you can do what we used to do back in the day: open the bottle early, and let it breathe while  you wait for the guests to arrive. As for the wine sippy cup, that is just wrong.Stories via Mental Floss and BuzzFeed.
• Ordinary booze not good enough? Here is a list of some bizarre brands of booze you can buy. Get them some scorpion vodka or some monkey balls. Story via BuzzFeed.
• Drinkhacker once again has a holiday gift guide for what they consider the best alcohol and spirits. Here is their 2015 edition.  Their criteria is "focused on products that are 1) actually available, 2) worthwhile as gifts, and 3) not entirely out of the realm of affordability." However, given a few spirits at $100 mark or above, I guess the definition of affordability is pretty loose.
• Now, if you have money to burn, you know a tequila love in your life, and really want to impress, you can always get them this limited edition $7500 bottle of Patron tequila. It's bottled in some fancy decanter, and hell, it even has its own cabinet. Story via Mental Floss, which includes a short video on the bottle. Hey, just get me some Hornitos or Tres Generaciones, or some other decent tequila, and I am happy. Reposado or older is nicer. Just make sure it is 100% agave (none of that mixto stuff).

 Recipes and suggestions

• Need a cocktail to cheer up? Want to sip on something nice while you read a good book or watch that Christmas movie for the upteenth time? Need something to help you tune out crazy Right Wing Uncle Bob? Here are "15 Powerful Cocktails Guaranteed to Get You Through the Holidays" via BuzzFeed. Snark aside, the mint chocolate Kahlua milkshake is just the type of drink the Better Half would love.
• Drinkhacker also has a list of recipes. Why? Because "no holiday season is complete without the insufferable relatives and the libations that go along with numbing the rage you may feel at the family dinner table."