Christmas loves a punch, and this is Mexico’s version – though it’s made for the teetotallers. The alcohol-free alternative to mulled wine is made by simmering fruits like guava and apple with local raw sugar cane. Hibiscus and cinnamon are also traditionally thrown in the mix. If you prefer yours with brandy (or tequila), the drink becomes ponche con piquete (which translates to ‘punch with a sting’).

No doubt you’ve heard of glühwein, but what about its far more ostentatious cousin, feuerzangenbowle? The German drink is based around a traditional mulled wine (a red wine mingled with citrus peel and spices like cinnamon and cardamom). But it’s topped with a rum-soaked sugar cone known as a zuckerhut, which is then set on fire. As it melts, the caramelised sugar drips into the drink below.

With a name that translates to ‘little coconut’, you can guess what forms the heart of this Christmas-themed bevvie. A kind-of-cousin to eggnog, this Puerto Rican staple sees coconut cream mingle with three (!) types of milk – evaporated, condensed and coconut – nutmeg, cinnamon and some rum. Unlike eggnog, it’s always served cold.

This Eastern European favourite is a thirst-quencher made from boiling fresh or dried fruit with water and sugar. It’s booze free, and always makes an appearance at the traditional Christmas Eve feast Wigilia in Poland. What it’s made from determines its temperature – fresh fruit makes for cold kompot, while dried fruit calls for warm.

A hot mulled cider of sorts, wassail was once part of an ancient English yuletide drinking ritual that was shared between neighbours. Today, it’s still enjoyed as a deliciously warm drink, and is made from mixing apples with brandy, apple cider, citrus juice and a handful of spices like cloves, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

Christmas Eve is when the Lithuanians host their feast, which traditionally includes at least 12 dishes, all free from meat and dairy. One of these dishes includes poppy seed milk. It’s made by soaking and boiling poppy seeds in water, then crushing them using a mortar and pestle. The mixture is then mixed with honey for some sweetness. Typically, it’s enjoyed with kuciukai (poppy seed cookies).

We couldn’t not include eggnog. While these days it tends to be associated with the Americans, it’s actually an English drink. It originated in early medieval times as ‘posset’ – a hot milk curdled with wine (or ale) and thrown together with spices. Recipes differ, but largely see egg yolks, milk, cream, nutmeg and a splash of rum or whisky mingled.