Helena Echlin writes the Table Manners column for Chow.com. She writes that alcohol is essential to most holiday parties. If your host is running low, be ready to pitch in to help. She has a few simple formulas to make cocktails out of anything:
Fruity drink = clear liquor (gin, vodka) + fruit + acid (lemon, or a few drops of vinegar)
Milky drink = liquor (clear or dark) + milk + egg (white or yolk)
Music Break: It Must Be True by John Buzon Trio