A Welcoming Holiday Drinks Station: Glassware, Tools & Finishing Touches

A good holiday drinks station gives guests a place to help themselves and gives you time to sit down with them. Start with a short menu, set out the glasses and tools it calls for, and leave enough room to build a drink without moving everything around.

Plan a small, flexible menu

Pick one cocktail and one alcohol-free drink that share a garnish. Orange slices and rosemary can finish a whisky cocktail or a cranberry spritz with sparkling water. Put out a pitcher of water and label the two drinks so guests can choose at a glance.

Choose glasses around the finished drink

A short rocks glass leaves room for a large cube and keeps a shaken drink easy to hold. Use highballs for sparkling drinks that need more space for ice and a mixer. The Bormioli Rocco Oxford Bar Rocks Glasses work for cocktails over ice or a short cranberry spritz. Browse bar glasses for both shapes.

Gather the tools you will actually use

Keep a cobbler cocktail shaker handy for drinks that need shaking. Its built-in strainer lets you pour over fresh ice. A jigger helps with larger pours, while measuring spoons are handy for maple syrup and other small additions. Juice citrus ahead and keep a clean cloth beside the shaker for drips.

Give garnishes a place of their own

Slice orange half-moons with a paring knife and set them out with rosemary sprigs in small Lunara sauce dishes. Put out a pair of tongs and refill the dishes as needed. A small bowl for used picks and peels keeps the counter clear.

Prepare ahead, finish fresh

Wash the glasses, slice the garnishes and refrigerate the juice before guests arrive. Keep sparkling mixers chilled and open them as needed. Put out a small batch of ice with a scoop and keep the rest in the freezer for refills.

Make room for the gathering

Place glasses at one end, ice and mixers in the middle, and garnishes and napkins at the other. Leave a clear spot to set down a glass. If the kitchen is busy, a sideboard or small table gives guests room to make a drink while dinner comes together.

Get the recipe for Cranberry–Maple Whisky Sour.