Drink of the Week: The Christmas Cocktail

Here's a cocktail that combines all the flavors of Christmas: Coffee, Cinnamon, and Chocolate! It's rich, satisfying and definitely packs a punch. Here's how you make it:

1. Grab a shaker and fill it half-way with ice cubes
2. Pour in an ounce of Tequila
3. Pour in an ounce of Bailey's Cream
4. Pour in an ounce of Cinnamon Schnapps
5. Sprinkle some powdered coffee
6. Shake until it is well blended and serve it in a Martini glass with a Cinnamon Stick.

Xmas is Here, Let’s Play!

Christmas Day has just ended but the smell of Noche Buena fare is sure to still be wafting in your home. In fact, your garbage cans are still filled with gift wrappers and (for some of us) those unappreciated gifts from our annoying exes; and our social calendars are still chuck full of Christmas parties and reunions until the earlier part of January.

If you are simply attending these reunions and parties, then you are in luck. All you have to do is show up with your uninspired gift and avail of all the food and be chummy with friends you hardly even talk to anymore. However, if you are the one planning the party, or the one assigned to make it more fun, the task of finding fun (not corny) games for your Christmas party may be harder that looking for that classy yet affordable gift for your boss. So here are some of my game suggestions:

1.) Stick It On That Body Part! : So here is a game that can get a little naughty although it requires some noggin’ usage and a sense of familiarity among the participants. That being said, it is most applicable to reunions. The game is easy. Members are divided into three or four groups and each group chooses a model. Each team is given a roll of masking tape. Then, the moderator asks each group to stick pieces of masking tape on any body part that starts with the chosen letter. The moderator chooses the letter, announces it, and times the challenge. I suggest two to three minutes per letter. Then, the models are presented in front of each other and the pieces of masking tape are counted. The whole group must agree if the body part is acceptable or not. The team that gets the most points wins. Thanks to Suzette Tan-Atmosfera for the tip!

2.) Tell Me A Story! : This next game is appropriate for corporate parties and such. It requires contestants to form three groups of four. Each group forms a line with their first representative at the front of the line. A moderator asks general questions like “what is the essence of Christmas?” and the representatives try to answer it three words at a time. So, the first representative answers using three words, which the second representative then connects to, until they make a long conversation or paragraph. They do not have to answer the question, and they do not have to make sense. All that is required is that they do not exceed the three word limit. Whenever one person says more than three words, a point is awarded to both of their opposing teams, and s/he is replaced by the next person in line. A sample conversation reads like:

Moderator: What is the true meaning of Christmas?

Representative 1: The true meaning…

Representative 2: …of Christmas is…

Representative 3: … having fun in…

*back to Representative 1: … the beach, man!

3.) Wrap It Up! : If your guests have been on Earth even before Cher was born, you would definitely want to choose games that are a little more subdued like a gift-wrapping contest. Simply provide both teams with some wrapping paper, ribbons, tape, and scissors and ask them to wrap empty boxes. If you want to make it more challenging, you may hide the materials around the venue before they start wrapping.

4.) Sing-A-Song! : This is one of the simplest games in my Yuletide Roster. Simply divide the participants into three or four groups and give them five minutes to jot down all the Christmas songs they know. Then each group takes turns in singing one Christmas Song. If other groups happen to have the same song in their list, they crash it out from their list. The next group then sings one of their Yuletide tunes. The group that has the most titles left, wins the prize.

5.) Get Wasted! : This is one of the simplest games ever; and all you need for this game is a pair of different colored dice and six participants. All you do is roll the dice and check out the results. The first die indicates the number of shots the person drinks. The second die indicates who among the six participants should take a shot. Note: if the die ands on a five, the person who threw it starts counting from his right-hand side until he reaches the fifth person. Nobody gets a prize, but everybody gets wasted. And we all know that getting boozed up is the true meaning of Christmas…well, at least in Partylandia, it is.

For comments, suggestions, and more confessions from this partyphile log on to http://party.i.ph or follow the columnist at twitter.com/zhaun

Listen to Confessions of a Partyphile on the radio every Wednesday nights from 6 to 9 in the evening on 105.9 Mix FM or www.mixfm1059.com

New Christmas Commandments

It has been two years since I released my first version of the Partyphile Christmas Commandments and I am releasing another version today because I find that it is good to have some guidelines when we are caught up in way too much celebrating and way too much boozing. And although I am not one to be preachy and tell you how you should spend your Christmas, I find that these commandments give me a well-balanced look at the Yuletide season. In a sense, these commandments help me keep sight of what Christmas truly means. Being a partyphile makes it easy to lose sight of that, and we all know that everybody transforms into a partyphile during the Yuletide season. For this cause I give you my Christmas Commandments:

1Thou shall not gain a gazillion pounds- We all know the dangers that the seemingly never-ending slew of Christmas parties brings: overly indulgent buffets. Yes, it is quite hard to resist all those sumptuous dishes and keep our waistlines in check. I for one, have always succumbed to the call of that gorgeous glazed Jamon de Bola. And although it is quite tempting to just let go of your year-long diet and finally say “hello” to a life sans calorie-counting, it just makes life harder post-Christmas. In the end, it is your call, but be sure to have a closet full of clothes a size-too-big, just in case. Oh, and if it helps, just think of how you’ll look in all those Christmas photos! Remember: though it is the season to be jolly, it is NOT the season to totally forget about your belly.

2Thou shall not be grumpy this season- Everybody hates the Grinch. Why? Because he is always grumpy and tries to ruin the spirit of Christmas. Why? Because he is an insecure little snob with too many emotional problems; no shrink could probably fix him. We don’t notice it sometimes, but we too may have the tendency to act like the Grinch, and you don’t want to be the Christmas spoiler now, do you? Be a little nicer, greet everyone with a smile, and just spread the holiday cheer.

3Thou shall party a little harder- Come on. Your close friends are sure to be in the mood to party a little harder this holiday season. Go with the season and party a little harder, dear reader. And I’m not just talking about partying more often, just try to be in a more festive mood and enjoy everybody’s company. After all, everyone is always a couple of bucks richer come Christmas time.

4 Thou shall not break the bank- It is true that it is the thought that truly counts, if you do not have a budget to buy everyone special to you a gift this season, then write them a sincere Holiday card. I am sure they will appreciate it much more. And please do not ever recycle gifts. Its just plain gross. One should give gifts not for duty, not for reciprocity, and not for personal satisfaction; one should give for the sheer joy of giving.

5Thou shall not dress in red and green- Horrendous. Who in their right mind would dress up like a Christmas tree? Red and green is reserved for Christmas ornaments, not your clothes. Do everyone a favor and please do not don holiday colors. It’s just not cool.

6Thou shall let out thou’s inner child- Christmas time is the perfect time to remember the simples things and life and to see the world through the eyes of a child. Remember the greatest gifts you have: family, friends, and the maturity that partying may be guilt-free.

7Thou shall not have false idols- PSPs, iPads and Blackberries are not the things that make up Christmas. Remind yourself that the novelty and gratification you will get from these gadgets will only last until the New Year. Think of what really matters and you are sure to cut your Christmas wish list in half.

8Thou shall self indulge- Christmas is a time for loving, yet most of us forget to love ourselves a little bit more during the holidays. So self-indulge and do what you really want. Go to the beach, have a massage, buy yourself that thing you have been eyeing for so long. Now is the perfect time to give yourself what you deserve, even if it is a little capricious. After all, if you aren’t going to look out for yourself, nobody else will.

9Thou shall spend Christmas happily alone- Spending Christmas alone isn’t something to feel bad about; one can do so much more than just mope around at home while playing sappy Christmas songs and indulging in self pity. One does not have to feel bad about not being able to, or not wanting to, spend Christmas time with their family. If there is one thing that watching too many re-runs of Sex and the City has taught me, it is that you could choose to spend any joyous moment with the family you born in, or the family you choose to make for yourself. So gather everyone you know who can’t be home for the holidays and spread the yuletide cheer. After all, the real essence of Christmas is not found in the people you choose to spend it with; it is about being happy, no matter what.

10Thou shall keep the “Christ” in Christmas- We often think of Christmas and remember Old Saint Nick; but Santa Claus and gift-giving sometimes distracts us into thinking that this holiday is really about Christ. I am not trying to be preachy here, and I certainly am in no position to give you readers a lecture on religion; but all I ask is for every partyphile to step back a little, and for once, give the spotlight to the person who really matters this season: Jesus the Christ.

Catch Confessions of a Partyphile (the radio show) on 105.9 Mix FM every Wednesday nights from 6 to 9 PM. For comments, suggestions, and more confessions from this partyphile, you may log on to http//party.i.ph or follow the columnist at http://twitter.com/zhaun