The 12 Mimosas Of Christmas

Okay, I’m just going to jump straight to the point here. I went a little hard this past Sunday.  

Let me set the scene.

Over the weekend, the Carolinas were dumped on by some snow. Across the state, we saw anywhere from 1-2 inches, to 6-8 inches here in Raleigh, NC, to up to…  A FOOT AND A HALF in the motherland.

[ReviewDisclaimer]

Here in the Triangle at least, it was the most snow we’ve received in December since the 1950s. So, Northern friends, don’t come at me with your “uphill both ways in the snow” stories… I too, walked UP to my attic to dust off my snowboots. 😉

Anyway… big, puffy flakes are falling down, my pyromaniac husband has this INCREDIBLE fire burning, my children are taking marathon naps after playing in the snow all morning, and I know I need to write a blog post for the week… but I’m totally uninspired. (i.e. – lazy.)

I also realized I was sober. And then, like those epic movie montages when the protagonist is hit with a series of flashbacks from their life that allows them to confront their next defining moment… it hit me: I need to make ALL of the mimosas.

I’m a mom, so I quite conveniently have a $#!*-ton of random grocery items at my disposal. And while I was lacking in champagne, (SHAME!) …I DO have an SUV that, like me, was BUILT for this moment.

So David also got on board with #snowdayGOday, and about 20 minutes later, he bravely returned from the grocery store with the bubbly. Together, with the help of some “reluctant” neighbors, we quickly got to walking through a wasted wonderland. 😉

I really got into it.

PS – if you’ve made it this far… 1.) THANK YOU for coming along with me on this creative libatious journey, and 2.) YOU’RE WELCOME.

For the record, I’m a HUGE fan of the original mimosa… and TBH… champagne in general. However, some of these delightful little experiments really proved to be EXCELLENT twists on a classic, just in time for holiday entertaining.

For the most part, if you have some fruit-loving kids like I do, you may already have most of the supplies to create a few variations. If so, this is conveniently a pretty economic activity for you… until you realize you drank your kids’ breakfast food… (#badmom).

So produce aside, the only real decision you have to make here is about the champagne! I’m personally a fan of a dryer champagne – like a brut. But for some of these recipes that only require fruit/herbs for infusing flavor, spumante added just the right amount of sweetness!

My advice? Buy both.

So grab a pen for your grocery list and your best glasses, and have fun experimenting over the next two weeks with The 12 Mimosas Of Christmas.

1.) The Classic

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (brut)
• Splash of OJ
• Orange slice for garnish

2.) Kir Royale

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (brut)
• 1-2 tbsp crème de cassis
• Blueberries for garnish

This drink is a personal favorite. (Bonjour memories of France…Sighhh….) It’s super flavorful without the acidity of a regular mimosa.

(Also just throwing it out there… you’ll see a lot of fruit IN my drinks. I’m a big fan of booze-infused snacks in my alcohol… so just roll with it.)

3.) Grapefruit mimosa

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (brut)
• Splash of grapefruit juice
• Grapefruit slice garnish

4.) Strawberry basil-infused mimosa

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (spumante)
• 1 basil leaf
• 3-4 strawberries, sliced

I could’ve had half a dozen of these, but I had so many more to make. SUPER flavor profile on this guy; and bonus points for Christmas colors.

5.) Apple cider mimosa

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (prosecco)
• 2-3 tbsp of apple cider
• 1 dash of cinnamon (on top)
• Apple slice for garnish

Another crowd pleaser! (And a great seasonal option.) I enjoyed prosecco with this one, (a semi-sweet sparkling Italian wine) that helped balance out the tartness of the cider.

6.) Poinsettia mimosa

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (brut)
• A splash of cranberry juice
• A splash of orange juice
• Cranberries, orange slice, and rosemary stem for garnish

7.) Blueberry mimosa

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (brut)
• 1-2 tbsp blueberry puree
• Blueberries for garnish

I didn’t have any on hand… but wouldn’t MINT have been damn delicious in here? I was day-dreaming of a blueberry mojito the entire time I drank it.

8.) Raspberry lemonade mimosa

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (spumante)
• 5-6 raspberries
• 2 lemon slices
• Sugar, for rim

ANOTHER simple, fruit-infused mimosa that was also the perfect mix of sweet and tangy.

9.) Pear puree and thyme mimosa

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (prosecco)
• 1-2 tbsp pear puree
• 1 pear slice
• 1 sprig of thyme for garnish

10.) Watermelon mimosa

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (prosecco)
• 1-2 tbsp watermelon puree
• Watermelon slice for garnish
• Sugar, for rim

This would be incredible in the summer, with a fresh watermelon. I also thought topping it off with a scoop of raspberry sorbet would be incredible, BECAUSE, my favorite of these mimosas – (below) – showed me that frozen desserts topped with champagne do make dreams come true.

11.) Orange creamsicle mimosa

What you’ll need:

• Champagne (brut)
• A splash of OJ
• 1 small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream
• Orange slice for garnish

YOU. NEED. TO. TRY. THIS.

PRO TIP: Top the ice cream with another splash of champagne. It might actually change your life.

12.) Wine

Imma be honest with you… at the time, I really thought I made 12.

What can I say? Drinking is easy, and math is hard. But this is just as well because PEOPLE, you’re going to be tired of bubbly after 11 different mimosas. 😉

So I have for you, a nice Spanish red to wind down with after your party platter of sparkly drinks.

I seriously couldn’t believe how EASY these were to make… with ingredients I already had in my fridge! And best of all, now I know what I’ll be serving Christmas morning. (cough cough, #11.)

Do you have a favorite twist on a classic drink? Share it below!