 "(Clockwise from above): The Saturday Evening Post's Coca-Cola advertisement featuring Santa Claus; an HMT advertisement on Diwali; an illustration of Queen Victoria with a Christmas tree; the first Christmas card dates back to Sir Henry Cole")
In a saucepan, on medium heat, bring to a boil 3 cups of milk, a cup or so of heavy cream, 3 inch-long cinnamon sticks, vanilla (bean/pods or vanilla essence) and a teaspoon of grated nutmeg. Switch off the heat. Separately, beat 5 egg yolks and sugar until thick ribbons form. Slowly whisk in the hot milk mix, until smooth. Add rum/bourbon/brandy and stir. Refrigerate overnight. Before serving, fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Garnish (grated nutmeg, cinnamon, or chocolate; feel free to improvise).
This is a recipe for eggnog, the “traditional” holiday drink, at any rate in the
