Surviving the Holiday Season with Sangria and Snacks

The holidays are here! That means overeating, gift-giving, and family quality time. With family comes different personalities and this may bring some awkward moments. What do you do when your aunt asks you why you are thirty and still single? Who will stop your grandfather from talking about politics? Family is great, but they come with some baggage, so what do you do? It is simple, pour yourself some sangria and grab a snack. This is the perfect combination for surviving the holiday season.

Sangria Sipping for the Win

According to Wikipedia, sangria is a punch that includes red wine, fruit, and other ingredients or spirits. The awesome thing about sangria is that it is so customizable. You can use your favorite red OR white wine as the base. Then add your favorite fruits. Such as cranberries, oranges, apples, and, strawberries. If you need something a little stronger, then add a splash of your favorite hard alcohol. If you know your sister is coming with all five of her kids and they all love to sing Disney songs every hour on the hour, then maybe some vodka in your sangria is needed.

I am not saying get full-blown drunk to deal with your family, but sangria can take a bit of the edge off. Plus, if you are stuck in a conversation with your cousin who insists on telling you all about how hot your ex has gotten, drink up and then excuse yourself to refill. Just do not end up drunk texting your ex. As always, drink responsibly, ‘tis the season to be jolly, not sloppy.

Snack Away

To counterbalance the sangria, be sure to load up on snacks. This could be helpful in not just avoiding talking to that weird friend of your uncle’s that keeps asking you what blood type you are. Snacks can save you from eating your sister’s famous green bean and blue cheese casserole. “So sorry I am so full off of the veggie platter”.

However, just as you try to avoid gross family casseroles, you might be asked to eat gross snacks. Yes, you can claim you are full from something else, but if you get caught then drama will take place. This is when the sangria can come in to play. “Sorry Susan, I do not think your deep-fried block of butter will mix well with my sangria”. If they question it, say you took a class on wine pairing, problem solved.

My Favorites

When it comes to sangria, I have a few go-to ingredients. I love sweet wine, so if I am using red wine, it must be sweet. I also love adding cranberry ginger ale, this comes out seasonally during the holidays. Frozen cranberries and apples are my favorite fruits to include. If I need an extra kick, a bit of honey whiskey does the trick. Plus, to give the drink more of a holiday flavor, I add cinnamon sticks.

I am pretty basic when it comes to snacks. I will destroy a cheese, meat, and cracker board like there is no tomorrow. I have also found myself enjoying a cheese ball and bacon-wrapped anything. Just like the sangria, snack choices are customizable.

Cheers to Your Holiday Cheer

So, whether you are hosting the holiday get together or driving an hour to your mother’s house, sangria and snacks are a must! Get creative and google all the different types of sangria and snack combinations you can create. Of course, be sure to share with your family members. Maybe they will be less inclined to bring up the fact you never finished college if they have a sangria in one hand and a snack in the other.

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