New Year's Already?!

Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve! That means today is the official scramble-to-find-a-party-worry-about-where-your-kids-are-going day. New Year’s is one of those sneaky holidays full of high expectations and even higher stress levels. Everyone’s so busy with Christmas and you just got your family out the door and you wake up to the realization that tomorrow is New Year’s…You really don’t want to do anything…but it’s New Year’s, the one day a year when just about everyone has a little bubbly or at least stays up late enough to watch that excessively expensive ball drop (thank you Waterford-look at this thing!), so you feel like you have to do something.

So this year, why not relieve everyone’s party-hunting stress? Have your own last-minute New Year’s Extravaganza! Your house is clean enough, I promise…plus, after a few of these simple champagne-based drinks I found, no one will notice the dust bunnies. I can’t say that I’ve made any of these yet, but since my friends have informed me that I will be hosting the party tomorrow, I may just whip a few of these up tomorrow…Relay has all of the ingredients (including the champagne thanks to Rio Hill Wine and Gourmet) and our trucks will be zipping around town tomorrow, so make sure you get those orders in tonight if you want to try these out!

Cranberry Kir

1 1/2 cups chilled cranberry juice

3/4 cup crème de cassis (black currant-flavored liqueur)

1 750-ml bottle chilled dry champagne or sparkling wine

Place 2 tablespoons cranberry juice and 1 tablespoon crème de cassis in each of 12 champagne flutes. Pour 1/4 cup champagne into each and serve.

Strawberry Champagne Punch

1 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne

1 (2 liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled

2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries, partially thawed

In a large punch bowl, combine champagne, ginger ale and strawberries. Gently stir and serve.

Black Velvet

For those anti-champagne Guinness-drinking men (or women…) fix these up and force them to try:

1/2 pint Guinness

1/2 pint champagne

Pour the Guinness into the glass first, then carefully add champagne so that the drinks layer.

If you are hosting a party and making these delectable drinks, make sure everyone has a safe ride home. Chandler Law Group hosts free taxi rides every year through the holiday season so there’s no excuse not to call a cab (or call one for your friends), the Charlottesville Yellow Cab number is 295-4131. Be safe and Happy New Year’s!

(As a side note--we, like you, are upset about the loss of TJ’s…today is the last day to order your Joe’s products, so stock up while you can.)