Holiday Bar Cart Ideas & Tips
The holidays are fast approaching and our homes need a Holiday Bar Cart setup. Here are some great Ideas & Tips an in-home Holiday Bar Cart. Bar carts are decidedly cool, and a requisite piece of furniture in every home.
I don't know if you are anything like me, but I really do not like to actually purchase alcohol from a store. I sort of get a mild panic moment thinking - are they going to card me, am I going to have to dig for my id-- knowing full well that I currently totally look my age. AND who would have a teenager and tween in tow calling them mom if they weren't 21?? Which is another reason why I don't like to stock up at the local grocer. Because, you know, I always have kids with me! Yo! My kids don't need to see momma buying bottles of booze!
This Holiday Bar Cart Ideas & Tips post is in collaboration with Drizly. As part of the collaboration, I received product and incentives in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.
Enter my new favorite App. The Drizly Alcohol Delivery App is probably the best invention for booze-buying-phobia-moms like me. Drizly.com is an alcohol delivery website that shops for you and delivers right to your doorstep. Don't worry about the bottles rattling--it won't ever happen. ;-) Yo! Did you hear me?! Drizly! Delivers! Alcohol! ☺
You must be 21 to place an order and you need to reside in an area they deliver. If you hit the Drizly jackpot, then you can stock up for the holidays. Drizly deliver wine, beer, liquor, soda, juice, mixers, garnishes and they even deliver ice! My home bar was in some dire need of replenishing and since, you know, I have a booze-buying-phobia, Drizly helped this poor momma out!
We host Thanksgiving and have an open house policy the entire month of December. I tend to move my "home bar" around based on what occasion is being celebrated in my home. If I am casually entertaining, the bar stays in the kitchen. If I have a formal dinner, the bar moves to the living room and when I am hosting Thanksgiving, I bust out the rolling cart of booze for all my guests.
I thought I would show you how I set up my areas for these occasions and celebrations and perhaps this would give you an idea how to set up your own Home Bar for all your holiday guests. Not everyone has a built-in bar area in their home - I do not. But you know what, you don't need one. However, during the holidays, you do need a spot to hold your bottles, mixers, glasses and equipment.
The Barware
A Home Bar doesn't have to be a headache and you really just need to invest in some basic equipment. Once you have the essential equipment, your home bar will be set and you will only need to replenish your alcohol.
I received a crystal ice bucket for a wedding present and have been using it for 16 years now. I also received full sets of crystal glasses in all shapes and sizes and have been fortunate that only a few have broken. I also have a Cocktail Shaker with a strainer, Drink Stirrers, a good Lemon Zester, be sure to grab a sharp knife from your kitchen and a fun Corkscrew (mine is from Brussels). The blender stays in the kitchen (just in case of spills). I'm on the look out now for a single huge square ice tray which woudl work better for mixed drinks. You could also invest in a Muddler and Jigger if you like.
The Alcohol
To make fantastic, creative cocktails, or the old stand-bys that are everyone's favorites, it is not necessary to stock your home bar with 12 brands of vodka and every color of liqueur. A base set of alcohols is all that is really needed, as well as some standard mixers. When some of your friends get to tinkering around with mixtures, you all may discover a totally new and favorite drink.
I always stock my home bar with three essentials for my family and friends. Vodka, Whiskey and Tequila. I am partial to silver Tequila, so that is what you will see on my bar cart. This time around I added some Apple Brandy and it smells so good and tastes even better! Be sure to have plenty of red and white wine available, as well as a variety of beers. Stocking up on essential liquors will be super simple now with the Drizzly App!
The Bar Cart
I tend to clear off the desk in my kitchen and load it up with all my essentials, glasses, bar equipment and alcohol for Thanksgiving. If I am having a formal dinner in the dining room, I move all of these items into my living room and place them all on a large buffet table I have in there.
For the month of December I usually load up a lovely rolling cart I have and pull it out when guests pop over. I can then tuck the rolling cart back in an area away from our normal day to day activities and lifestyle.
My Signature Cocktails
Cranberry Blood Orange Margarita
Squeeze ½ of a lime and a ¼ portion of a blood orange into a glass filled with crushed ice. Sprinkle on a ½ tsp of raw sugar crystals. Add 2-3 ozs silver tequila, 2-3 ozs cranberry juice (not cocktail juice), 1-2 ozs orange juice and stir well. Garnish with wheeled lime and blood orange slices and fresh cranberries. Optional: rim the glass with salt.
Cranberry Moscow Mule
Squeeze ½ of a lime into a copper mug. Add 2-3 ozs vodka and 2-3 ozs cranberry juice (not cocktail juice) fill the mug with crushed ice and stir well. Pour in 6 ozs of ginger beer and garnish with the lime, fresh cranberries and fresh mint leaves.
Everyone knows the most important thing about holiday gatherings are the guests. But the secret to hosting festive holiday gatherings is a well stocked bar! If your home bar is well stocked, your parties will be beautiful and fun. Get ready for the holidays by setting up and stocking your home bar with Drizly.