Make your own Birmingham Christmas bar with 3 mocktail recipes

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I love the pop-up Christmas bar at Hold Your Horses or Pop Up Bar just as much as the next person…trust me. But sometimes, all I really want is a night in with the same festive drinks and decorations.

So, I spruced up my Homewood apartment with all the lights, tinsel and ribbon my heart desired, and I made three mocktails for my friends and me to try—all using my favorite holiday soda, Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry as the perfect starting point. It has just the right level of bubbles to feel festive, and the cranberry flavor notes really complement a variety of winter flavors.

Keep reading for everything you need to put together a party that our local bars only dream of.

First things first: Get your home party ready

Before we dig into the mocktail recipes, let’s make sure your home is holiday party-ready.

For decorations, I recommend lots of colors and kitschy knick-knacks. You want people to mistake this for a Christmas pop-up bar, remember?

For activities, how cute does a Birmingham-themed White Elephant sound? Here are a few gift ideas to get started:

• Birmingham shops to find last-minute gifts under $50
• Gift Birmingham experiences (just print out an IOU and stuff it in a stocking!)

It’s time to turn to food and drink ideas, but first, make sure you have your Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry.

Tip: This soda is in hot demand! Head to your local grocery store before they run out, or order online.

A classic “summer” sip with a festive twist: Sangria

For my at-home Birmingham Christmas bar, I had to throw Sangria on the menu. Luckily, this is an easy one to have fun with! I took a splash of apple juice and orange juice, a little more than a splash of Sprite, topped with an orange slice and cranberries…and voilà! My new favorite Sangria mocktail.

Try it for yourself:

• Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry
• Orange juice
• Apple juice
• Orange slices

For the kitschy Christmas lover: Cranberry Spritz

Bring this Cranberry Spritz mocktail to your at-home Christmas bar (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

Out of all the mocktails we tried, this Cranberry Spritz was a favorite for me and my friends.

And all it takes to make it:

• Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry
• Cranberry juice
• Rosemary garnish

That’s it! It’s on the sweet side, sure, but the Sprite gives it a kick to balance all the flavors out. And we threw some fresh cranberries and a garnish for a little extra fun.

A sweet spin on the classic: Cranberry Mint Julep

Cheers to a fun spin on your regular Mint Julep. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

And finally, the Mint Julep. An ode to the peppermint that’s everywhere this time of year, but it’s right at home with items you can easily pick up at the grocery store.

Here’s what I used, but feel free to make it your own:

• Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry
• Water
• Sugar
• Mint leaves

What festive drinks are you making for your own Birmingham Christmas bar? Pick up your Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry for the perfect kick to your mocktail.

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