4 cups hot strong coffee
4 cups scalded milk
6 cinnamon sticks for garnish

Into 6 large mugs pour equal amounts of the coffee and the milk and garnish each serving with a cinnamon stick.

Serves 6.

1 cup sugar syrup
1 pint lemon juice
1 quart strong green tea
2 quarts white grape juice
1 block ice
2 quarts chilled club soda

Combine all ingredients except soda, and refrigerate for an hour or two. Pour over ice in a punch bowl and add the soda. Serve in 4-ounce punch glasses.

Makes about 45 servings.

This is also very good served hot.
4 cups water
1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup fresh mint leaves (about 1/2 ounce)
1/2 cup sugar
Fresh mint sprigs

Combine 4 cups water and cranberries in heavy medium saucepan and bring to boil. When cranberries begin to pop, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer mixture until cranberries are very tender, about 10 minutes.

Place 1 cup mint leaves in heat-proof pitcher or coffeepot. Set fine strainer atop pitcher. Pour cranberry mixture into strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much juice as possible; discard solids. Add 1/2 cup sugar to pitcher; stir until sugar has dissolved. Refrigerate mixture until cold. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.) Garnish with mint sprigs and serve.

4 Servings

Indulge and top the hot chocolate with whipped cream and more crushed peppermint candy.

12 cups milk
9 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker's), chopped
1 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies
1/4 teaspoon salt
Whipped cream
Additional crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies

Bring milk to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add white chocolate, 1 cup candy and salt; whisk until smooth. Add schnapps, if desired. Ladle hot chocolate into mugs, dividing equally. Top with whipped cream and additional candy.

Serves 12.