Vintage holiday punch and cocktail recipes from the 50s & 60s

Retro party punch & cocktail recipes from 1961

Glacier highball

Pack tall glass and pointed paper cone with shaved ice. Invert cone on ice in glass, leaving cone-shaped “glacier.” Add a jigger of Scotch whiskey, will with a lively club soda.

Candy Cane Collins

Pour a jigger of gin or vodka over ice cubes in a tall glass. Fill with Collins mixer. Garnish with citrus slices and a candy cane. A tasteful holiday toast.

Holly Ball

For a festive look, spear red and green maraschino cherries on a sprig of mint or holly. Place in tall glass with ice cubes. Add a jigger of whiskey, fill with sparking ginger ale.

Christmas sparkler

For a bright new drink, fill tall glass with cracked ice. Add 5 dashes of bitters, 2 ounces whiskey, gin or rum. Fill with sparkling Canada Dry grapefruit. Add lemon spiral; stir.

SEE MORE: 50+ vintage ’60s drink recipes & how people would toast in the Madmen era

Kris Kringle Punch

28-ounce bottle ginger ale
28-ounce bottle club soda
28-ounce bottle grapefruit
28-ounce bottle Hi-spot lemon [lemon-lime soda]
1/4 cup sugar
1 small jar (8 ounces) maraschino cherries
Citrus fruit slices
Optional: Add your favorite liquor to taste (gin, rum, whiskey or vodka)

Pour ice cold ginger ale, club soda, grapefruit and hi-spot over ice in a large punch bowl. Add sugar, cherries and fruit slices. Liquor if desired. Stir gently till sugar dissolves. Makes about 30 punch servings.

A 5-minute recipe for vintage holiday punch from 1959

Now – A new Canada Dry holiday punch you can make in 5 minutes… 30 tangy servings from this recipe.

1/4 cup sugar
1 small jar (8 ounces) maraschino cherries
3 cups grapefruit juice
1 large bottle club soda
1 large bottle hi-spot lemon soda
1 large bottle ginger ale
Citrus fruit slices
Optional: Add your favorite liquor to taste (gin, rum, whiskey or vodka)

Combine first three ingredients; pour over ice into large punch bowl. Then add ice-cold hi-spot, club soda and ginger ale just before serving. Liquor if desired; stir gently. Makes about 30 punch cup servings.

ALSO SEE: Fancy gift decanters filled with alcohol were the go-to Christmas gifts in the 50s & 60s

Spiked cranberry punch (1963)

Ingredients

2 quarts cranberry juice
1 cup brandy
2 cups rum
1 packet frozen raspberries
1 cup strong tea, if desired

Directions

Combine all ingredients and serve very cold. If desired, dry ice can be used for a smoky, snowy effect. It can be placed, in large pieces, in the punch, but shouldn’t be touched with bare hands or taken internally. If dry ice is used, ladle the punch into glasses through a fine strainer.

Smirnoff vodka fruit punch (1960)

Combine 2 quarts of orange juice, 1 cup lemon juice, 1 quart Smirnoff. Add orange and lemon slices, 12 ounces frozen strawberries. Chill in refrigerator.

Just before serving, add 1 quart of chilled sparkling water and 2 trays of ice. Serves 32 drinks.