Grandma's Christmas Punch

Whether it's for a big Christmas party or smaller gathering of family or friends, a batch of Grandma's Christmas Punch will bring on the smiles ... especially when you pair it with a big tray of cookies.  Just like Grandma does.
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The Christmas season is here!  And along with it comes so many fantastic and fun family traditions.

One of those fantastic and fun traditions from my husband Mark's family is enjoying big batches of this Christmas Punch, which we now lovingly refer to as Grandma's Christmas Punch after Mark's mom who started the holiday tradition of making it.

The days of the big Christmas party have come and gone, but we still enjoy a batch of Grandma's Christmas Punch every year on Christmas day alongside her family-favorite Christmas day cookie tray.

During Mark's childhood, his parents used to throw a big Christmas party each year for Mark's dad's business associates and clients, inviting them all out to the house for an evening of fun.  Mark says he can remember getting to say hi to the party-goers, and then peering down on the party festivities throughout the evening from the stairs above.  {He was probably supposed to be tucked away in bed!}

And he says he can remember his mom serving up trays upon trays of Christmas cookies ... like cherry almond cookies, pound cake cookies, and his dad's favorite 7-layer cookies.  She would begin the party baking well before Thanksgiving and freeze big batches of cookies in preparation for the big party.  

Quite frequently, I'm told though, she'd have to whip up a few extra pans of 7-layer cookies at the last minute because Mark's dad had snuck and eaten a bunch of them up!

And alongside all those trays and trays of Christmas cookies at the party, Mark's mom would serve up batches and batches of this Christmas punch.

Whether you're preparing for a large party, or for a smaller gathering of family or friends, a batch of Grandma's Christmas Punch is a wonderful addition to the festivities.

The days of the big Christmas party have come and gone, but we still enjoy a batch of Grandma's Christmas Punch every year on Christmas day alongside her family-favorite Christmas day cookie tray.  

The cookies may be served up on a smaller scale than in the days of the party ... but rest assured all the favorites are still there.  And they're still putting smiles on the faces of those who get to enjoy them.

As for the punch itself, it's a simple mixture of orange juice, pineapple juice, sugar syrup, and maraschino cherries ~ both the juice and the cherries themselves ~ topped off with a touch of gingerale.  It's a wonderful flavor combination that's indeed, as it sounds by the combination of ingredients, on the sweet side.  A sweetness perfect for holiday indulging!

The base mixture can be made several days in advance and refrigerated, adding the gingerale just before serving. 

The base mixture can be made several days in advance and refrigerated, adding the gingerale just before serving.  I just mix and store my batch in large plastic container, and then transfer it to a pretty serving pitcher or punch bowl at serving time.

Mark's mom says if the punch was running low at the party, she'd just start adding more gingerale to make it go further.  It's a very forgiving recipe like that.

 So whether you're preparing for a large Christmas party, or for a smaller gathering of family or friends, a batch of Grandma's Christmas Punch is a wonderful addition to the festivities.

I know for sure we'll be enjoying a batch on Christmas day along with Grandma's Christmas day cookie tray.  It's a family tradition that continues to bring on the smiles.

Grandma’s Christmas Punch

(Print recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 1 ½ c. water
• 4 c. orange juice
• 1 (46 oz.) can pineapple juice
• 1 (10 oz.) jar maraschino cherries & the juice
• 2 liter bottle gingerale

Directions

1. Place sugar and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring very frequently, to dissolve sugar. Set this sugar syrup aside to cool.
2. In a large pitcher or other container, combine cooled sugar syrup, orange juice, pineapple juice, cherries, and the cherry juice. Stir until well mixed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. When ready to serve, add gingerale to the juice mixture to taste. {I mix it at a ratio of about 2/3 juice mixture to 1/3 gingerale. Grandma usually mixes it about ½ juice mixture and ½ gingerale.}

Notes:

- Punch can be served in a punch bowl or in individual servings.  If using a punch bowl, stir the juice mixture and gingerale together in the punch bowl right before serving.  For individual servings, fill each glass about 1/2 to 2/3 full with juice mixture and then fill the remainder of the glass with gingerale.

- I like to make sure each serving gets at least one cherry!

- Grandma says this recipe serves about 20 people.  Of course, that depends on how much each person drinks.

Enjoy!

Please enjoy these other tasty drinks from The Kitchen is My Playground ...

Strawberry Tea Punch

Slow Cooker Caramel Hot Chocolate

How to Make Hot Buttered Rum

Hot Chocolate Martini

Sparkling Apple Pie Cocktail

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This post is linked with Weekend Potluck, Meal Plan Monday.