I'm not really sure why, but I kind of love making holiday drinks with a tiki vibe. I think this is really just a symptom of me needing to spend Christmas in Hawaii. But since that's not happening, I'll fill the void with this GLORIOUS cocktail. It's a sneaky one, you guys; pretty much all alcohol and it doesn't even taste like it. PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

It features a lovely little Spiced Pomegranate Liqueur that I'm kind of obsessed with adding to all my drinks right now. It's a pretty easy thing to make a huge batch of and then dole out as holiday gifts to all those people you wind up having to give gifts to that you don't really know well enough to be giving gifts to. When in doubt: here's some booze.

S P I C E D   P O M E G R A N A T E   M A I   T A I

To make one cocktail:

• 2 oz. dark spiced rum

• 1 oz. Spiced Pomegranate Liqueur (recipe below)

• .5 oz. dry curaçao

• .5 oz. orgeat

• 1 oz. fresh lime juice

• purple basil or mint for garnish

• lime slice studded with cloves for garnish

• edible flowers for garnish

To make Spiced Pomegranate Liqueur:

• 1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

• 3 cups plain vodka

• 1/4 cup homemade grenadine

• 2 cinnamon sticks

• 8 cloves

• 6 cardamom pods

Add pom seeds to an airtight vessel such as a large mason jar. Using a muddler, muddle the seeds thoroughly to release all the juice. Add vodka, grenadine, and spices and seal container. Store in a cool, dark place for around a week, shaking the contents once a day. After a week, strain the liqueur from the ingredients and store in an airtight container.

To make your Mai Tai:

Add rum, pom liqueur, curaçao, orgeat, and lime juice to a shaker with ice. Shake until thoroughly chilled. Fill glass with crushed ice and strain cocktail into it. Garnish with a clove-studded lime slice, and whatever else you've got to make it pretty.