ORLANDO, Fla. (November 6, 2007) — Celebrating the holidays in style may seem like a daunting task when resources and time are limited, but this year party hosts can create festive and memorable events by utilizing creative cocktail and cooking techniques that capture the spirits of the season.

Veteran party planner and bartender Stacy Nicoll, who now serves as the corporate bartender for Van Gogh® Vodka, suggests designing an entertaining and interactive cocktail bar. “The easiest way to satisfy a group and control costs is to offer variations of the same drink. Using ingredients such as eggnog, punch or coffee as the base for a variety of cocktails offers guests the opportunity to choose their favorite recipe, which they can then mix themselves,” explains Nicoll. “A non-alcoholic base is also great if you are planning on having children and adults at the same event - that way everyone has an option.”

Utilizing one common ingredient as a base, hosts can print recipes on cards and place them on their bar/cocktail station. Guests can review the recipes, select their favorite and create their own cocktail utilizing the ingredients provided at each station. They can also vary the recipe to suit their tastes. One of Nicoll’s recommendations is a coffee cocktail station that includes the following recipes:

Holiday Cheers Cafe
2 oz. Van Gogh Espresso or Double Espresso® Vodka, 2 oz coffee
Pour ingredients into coffee cup and enjoy. Add cream and sweetener if desired.

Snowflakes and Cream
1/2 oz. Van Gogh Coconut Vodka, 1/2 oz. Irish Cream, 3 oz. coffee
Pour vodka and Baileys into coffee mug. Fill with coffee, stir and top with whipped cream.

Dutch Chocolate Butternut
1 oz. Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka, 1/2 oz. butterscotch schnapps, 1/2 oz. amaretto, coffee
Pour vodka, schnapps and amaretto into coffee mug. Fill with coffee, stir and top with whipped cream and a drizzle of butterscotch syrup.

Nicoll says you can also impress guests and add an attractive and festive touch to annual celebrations by offering cocktails that utilize the flavors of the holidays. “You don’t have to be a master mixologist to create a unique cocktail menu. You just need to have a little creativity and a few seasonal ingredients,” she says. Here are a few of her suggestions for drinks and garnishes that will spread holiday cheer:

Pumpkin Pie Martini
1 oz. Van Gogh Vanilla Vodka, ½ oz. Licor 43, 1 oz. pumpkin liqueur, ½ oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream, splash butterscotch schnapps
Combine ingredients with ice in cocktail shaker. Shake, pour into glass and sprinkle with ¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice. Rim glass with lemon juice and crushed graham crackers.

Candy Cane Coffeetini
2 oz. Van Gogh Espresso Vodka, 1 oz. peppermint schnapps, ½ oz. cream
Pour ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, then pour into glass and swirl in a touch of grenadine for color. Edge the glass with grenadine and crushed peppermint candies and garnish with a mini candy cane.

Gingerbread Martini
1 1/2 oz. Van Gogh Espresso or Double Espresso® Vodka, 1 1/2 oz. Goldschlager, 1 1/2 oz. Irish cream
Mix ingredients in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice. Shake vigorously for five seconds, then strain into a martini glass and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Van Gogh Royale
1 oz. Van Gogh Vodka, 3 oz. champagne, splash of creme de cassis
Pour a splash of creme de cassis into a champagne flute. Add 1 oz. Van Gogh Vodka, then top with 3 oz. champagne. Garnish with a lemon curl.

According to Nicoll you can also utilize spirits to enhance a dinner table or holiday party spread with unique recipes including seared salmon topped with honeyed pomegranate vodka sauce or sautéed apples drizzled with Van Gogh Espresso Vodka caramel sauce. With a holiday party menu like this, the merriment is sure to last well into the New Year. For more event designing tips and complimentary cocktail and cooking recipes, visit www.VanGoghVodka.com.

Van Gogh Vodka produces the most flavors - 19 - of any brand worldwide including the trendsetting Espresso and Double Espresso®, complemented by Acai-Blueberry®, Banana, Dutch Chocolate, Coconut, Pineapple, Pomegranate and Wild Appel Vodkas.