This time of year gives people great excuses to do silly things—spend far too much time shopping, go crazy decorating in red, and make and drink ancient cocktails. If you relish tackling that last tradition, Wired has a great guide to making all the classic concoctions, like eggnog, mulled wine, and Tom and Jerries, with variations and preparation tricks for each. As a bonus, you'll learn the drinks' origins and have at least one holiday party conversation starter locked down. For more drink recipes, check out the drink databases ExtraTasty and Webtender. Photo by decor8.

Tags: beverages | drinking | drinks | entertainment | holidays | how to | how-to | top