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Spirited Tips for Easy Holiday Entertaining
(NewsUSA) - From sophisticated holiday soirees to casual
gatherings, legendary nights require the right mix of fun, friends and spirits.

The pros
at Southern Comfort and Finlandia Vodka offer some time-tested tips that will help ensure that your
holiday get-together is the talk among your friends:

* Offer five to six appetizers per
person if other food is available; seven to eight if it's not.

* Have 2 to 3 pounds of ice
on hand for every 10 people; double this amount if serving frozen drinks.

* Chill glasses
by filling them with ice and water before making and serving drinks.

* Pour drinks
immediately after blending to keep them from getting watery.

* Measure everything. Your
drinks will taste better. One bottle of Southern Comfort or Finlandia Vodka provides, roughly, 10
1- to 1 1/2-ounce pours.

* Utilize fresh fruits and spices of the season for the perfect
cocktail, from a caipiroska to a mojito to a martini.

* Keep up on the latest cocktail
trends, but serve a few signature cocktails as well. Or, put a twist on classic drinks, such as
these recipes for a Finlandia Cranberry Smash and a SoCo Eggnog Martini.

FINLANDIA CRANBERRY SMASH

1 1/2 ounces Finlandia

Cranberry Vodka

1 ounce lemon juice

1/2 ounce simple syrup

8 to
10 fresh cranberries

12 spearmint leaves

Muddle mint, cranberries and
simple syrup; add lemon juice, vodka and ice. Stir. Garnish with a sprig of
mint.

SOUTHERN EGGNOG MARTINI

1 ounce Southern Comfort

3
ounces eggnog

Ground nutmeg

Combine chilled ingredients in a shaker (no
ice). Shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass rimmed with nutmeg.

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