FESTIVE SPIRIT
Get set for a retro Christmas
There are many ways to make merry this season, but after everything that’s happened this year you can forgive us for wanting to wallow in nostalgia and celebrate the most comforting and magical aspects of Christmases past. Mads Schmoll says this is the time of year to embrace your childhood favourites and plan a holiday filled with traditional festive trimmings. Christmas pudding and trifle? Extra pigs in blankets but hold the sprouts? We won’t tell if you don’t…
GARNISHES OR GARLANDS, YOU DECIDE…
There’s no doubt Christmas 2020 requires an extra bit of sparkle. Whether you’re a fan of coloured lights or white – now is the time to shine as brightly as possible. Take inspiration from our flavour profiles and get colourful with bright baubles and garlands festooned from room to room. If you’re feeling crafty, we hear popcorn and cranberry garlands are making a comeback.
BRING THE WARMTH
Of course, you can’t forget the table. Add a tablecloth, bring in some greenery and get out the candles. This is the season to celebrate, so whether you’re sitting down for the big Christmas Day feast or an extended Sunday brunch with the weekend papers, it’s all about creating a bit of comfort and joy. While you might not be roasting chestnuts over an open fire, a blazing hearth brings back the golden glow of Christmas at home. It’s also the perfect place to leave that ever-important dram for Santa when the time comes.
STUCK AT HOME? BRING ON THE RETRO GAMES
Clue, Battleship, Monopoly and Scrabble all make for a cosy night in. If you’re all a little too competitive, there’s nothing quite like a classic film night to soak up the season. Plan a movie marathon with all your favourite snacks and some easy-drinking drams and tune into White Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Carol or the life-affirming pleasure of It’s a Wonderful Life. However you choose to celebrate, take the time to take it all in, have a dram and raise a glass to a very merry retro Christmas!
TIME TO PUT ON SOME SWEET, FRUITY & MELLOW VIBES
This month is also the ideal time to find a new holiday tipple. There’s a certain sparkle to a maraschino cherry in an Old Fashioned, but we can’t help but harken back to days of yore with a bit of pure indulgence. Ditch the snowballs for a sumptuous Brandy Alexander made with one of our single cask cognacs. If you’re looking for something that’s a bit more Young & Spritely, a Godfather balances whisky with a bit of nutty sweetness from some amaretto. And for the ultimate treat, a measure of Sweet, Fruity & Mellow whisky gussies up a mug of mulled wine in no time.
It wouldn’t be a classic Christmas without a bit of glitz and glamour. Forget not your auld acquaintances and host a virtual cocktail hour one evening. There’s no need to be stuck by the record player either, as we’ve got you covered with our Spotify playlist, A very merry little retro SMWS Christmas. Don your finest apparel and swap your favourite cocktail recipes before you kick things off with a round or two of charades.