Christmas Eve - A Traditional Drink

Christmas Eve Pictures

To add good cheer to the merry-making of English Christmases, posset was drunk on Christmas Eve. It was made of hot milk combined with spices, lemon and sugar, and bits of oatcake and bread were added.

The posset was taken with a spoon, and lucky, indeed, was the fortunate youth or maiden who drew out the lucky coin or the wedding-ring which had been dropped in the posset-pot!

During the 19th century, on Christmas Eve, the custom was to offer each caroling guest a posset cup and a piece of apple pie or tart.

4 cups milk
4 tablespoons sugar
4 slices toast
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups of beer (preferably ale)

Heat the milk, sugar, and toast in a saucepan, but don't let it boil. Stir the cinnamon and beer together in a punch bowl.

Discard the toast. Pour the hot milk over the ale and stir. Drink from mugs while warm.
Serves 8-10.

Some possets contained raw eggs. The egg-nog (eggs beaten with sugar, milk or cream, and some kind of spirit) is a modern form of this drink.

Christmas Eve Pictures