For a memorable holiday party, personalize the punch

By Rebekah Peppler, The New York Times

Holiday party drinks can take many forms: punch bowls, batched cocktails, a bathtub of bubbles, a tray of shots. What unifies them is a festal shared experience for guests to gather around. This year, keep the communal theme, but drop the one-drink-fits-all approach.

“To me, hosting parties is really about making everyone happy,” said Estelle Bossy, the beverage director at Le Rock in New York City. “Rather than tell everyone what I think is delicious, I like to empower people to find their own version of their favorite thing,” she added.

To maintain a through line among different drinks, you need a deeply flavorful base. Making a batch of a single base and placing it on the table, alongside a bucket of ice and a few different spirited and nonalcoholic bottles, lets drinkers choose their own holiday cheers.

One of Bossy’s favorite bases for holiday drinks is a shrub, and while early versions...