How to Pick Drinks for a Chinese New Year Party

The Chinese New Year celebration lasts for 15 days. Since most of us would either be in jail, find ourselves newly single, lose our jobs or all of the above if we partied for two weeks straight, one night will have to do. The drinks you choose for your Chinese New Year party must reflect the long traditions and festivities that are synonymous with this holiday.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Coconut-flavored rum
• Oranges or orange juice
• Pomegranates or pomegranate juice
• Ingredients for sangria
• Bloody Mary mix

1. Stock the basics. Beer, wine, vodka, rum and whiskey. If you are running low on funds, just beer and wine will suffice.

2. Turn orange. To the Chinese, oranges and tangerines represent wealth, luck and abundant happiness. Some examples of orange drinks are Orange Martini, Screwdriver and Fuzzy Navel.

3. Go crazy for coconuts. Coconuts represent togetherness. Consider traditional Pina Coladas (coconut-flavored rum with pineapple juice) or, for the more daring, the Blue Coconut (coconut-flavored rum, lemon-lime soda and Blue Curacao).

4. Pick pomegranates. Not literally, but you can buy them at the store or, better yet, buy pomegranate juice. Pomegranates symbolize fertility and abundance. Make a Pomegranate Martini. It is delicious and comes with Oprah Winfrey's seal of approval.

5. Think Red. The color red means happiness. Mix a batch of Bloody Marys or red sangria.

Tips & Warnings

• Narrow your choices. Choosing just two or three specialty drinks will save money, and you will spend less time mixing drinks.
• Make pitchers. Any drink that does not contain a carbonated mixture can be made in pitchers ahead of time, covered and stored in your refrigerator.
• Never let your guests drink and drive.
• Ban white. White represents death and mourning. Don't serve White Russians and nothing with cream.

Resources

• Get free drink recipes at Idrink.
• Learn more about Chinese New Year celebrations.