I’m an avid coffee drinker all year round, so warm drinks are a staple in my ‘drag yourself out of bed’ or ‘keep that morning energy up for just one more conference call’ routines.

But cool weather and Christmas spirit open up a new world of steamy beverage possibilities.  And yes, they are alcoholic (because booze goes great with Christmas cheer – or vice versa) but can be made un-alcoholic by, obviously, omitting the alcohol.  BEHOLD!!:

• Irish coffee – I love-love-love-love this drink.  It makes me think of a Thanksgiving I spent in Amsterdam a few years back – we started every single (FREEZING) morning with at least a couple of Irish coffees.  Which also means I crave pannekoeken everytime I drink one too :).  Substitute the cream with soy or coconut cream to veganize.
• Grasshopper hot chocolate – something sweet and crème de menthe-y to make a dreary cold afternoon that much mintier and warmer.
• KGB coffee – Steaming hot coffee with Kahlua, Grand Marnier and Bailey’s.  I can’t find a recipe link so be on the lookout for one from me soon :)  But with 4 ingredients, you shouldn’t have too hard a time making it before then too!
• Wassail – Nothing like a steaming cup of spice-y perfection to keep the family gatherings running smoothly.  Even better, a pot of wassail is the perfect time to use up some of your Calvados (apple brandy) stash.

Here are my standby hot drink recipes for those mornings and afternoons where boozing it up in the coffee cup is NOT appropriate (uhmm… like pretty every Monday through Friday unless we’re partying for Christmas vacay):

• Coffee coffee coffee – we have a Bodum French press to make coffee at home (and a cheapie generic tea pot to heat up our water).  We like to buy locally roasted coffee beans from the store and I prefer my cup o’ joe with a splash of vanilla hemp milk and a tiny bit of turbinado.  However, this is Silk Nog season and that’ll be my go-to coffee condiment from now until January.  MMMMMMMMMMM.
• Traditional Medicinals tea – when I’m feeling sniffly or have most any symptoms of most anything, we turn to this brand of tea to get us back up and running.  Throat Coat tea is a godsend – Gypsy Cold Care is miraculous – PMS Tea tastes more like chicken soup than tea, but holy frigging cow does it work wonders.  Look for them in your grocer’s tea aisle.  You won’t regret it.
• Mexican hot chocolate – Okay, don’t shoot me here — but I think I might cheat a lot this year with my hot chocolate.  E and A are currently infatuated with making (cold) chocolate milk with this Abuelita chocolate syrup.  While it’s easy as pie to make a simple + easy Mexican hot chocolate, chances are I’ll be indulging in the syrup and some warmed almond milk this winter.

When the weather outside is frightful, what do YOU sip on to keep yourself toasty and toasted?

Photo thanks to Flickr user a song under the sugar sugar