This Is Why People Only Drink Eggnog at Christmas (2024)

FAQs

Why do we only drink eggnog during Christmas? ›

It was thought that the use of “luxury” ingredients such as cream and alcohol would invite prosperity into the household for the coming year. In most households today, a cup of eggnog ushers in the good cheer of the holiday more so than any belief in impending wealth.

Although associated with the holidays, eggnog doesn't need to be seasonal. Dairy plants could produce small batches of eggnog off-season for hard-core nogheads, but they don't because it's not cost-effective.

The drink's wintry spices, and the preference for serving it hot, made nog a Yuletide mainstay. As milk, eggs, sugar and rum became more affordable and abundant, eggnog became accessible to everyday Americans. Today, people around the world enjoy it, often putting regional spins on the recipe.

Eggnog is a traditional 'American' drink but it started life in the UK as a kind of 'posset' (hot milk mixed with wine or ale and spices). There are a very few old mentions of eggs being mixed in as well. During the middle ages, possets were used to help treat colds and the flu.

While eggnog is mostly available from American Thanksgiving through to Christmas, in some regions a marshmallow-flavoured version is sold at Easter. In the 2000s, low-fat and sugar-free commercial versions are available using sugar substitutes and skimmed or low fat milk.

Traditionally made with eggs, cream, milk, and sugar, no one would say that eggnog is a healthy drink. Even a small serving can pack significant amounts of calories, fat, saturated fat, and added sugars.

Eggnog may not be considered a "health food," but the drink does have some nutritional benefits including certain vitamins and protein. Traditional eggnog is also high in sugar and fat, and for that reason, it's best to drink in moderation as a dessert.

Sugar's addictive properties have been studied, and ice cream mix used to make eggnog contains its fair share, both from the milk sugar lactose and from added sugars.

Some say “nog” comes from “noggin,” meaning a wooden cup, or “grog,” a strong beer. By the late 18th century, the combined term “eggnog” stuck. Eggnog purists argue that those who don't like the Yuletide drink have simply never tasted the real thing.

Origins. While no one knows who invented eggnog, most historians and foodies generally agree eggnog originated in medieval Britain. The upper classes were the only ones to have access to the milk, sherry, and eggs required to make the first version of eggnog, so it began as an exclusive beverage.

What's the difference between eggnog and holiday nog? ›

(What's the difference between eggnog and Holiday Nog? Eggnog must have a minimum 6 percent butterfat and a minimum 1 percent egg yolk by weight; Holiday Nog, which Spangler called a flavored milk product, has 2 percent butterfat and less than 1 percent egg yolk by weight.)

From classic favorites like eggnog and mulled wine to creative concoctions like spiked hot cocoa and horchata, there are endless possibilities. Get inspired to update your seasonal menu with this list of holiday co*cktails.

Our creamy and delicious eggnog is available over the holiday season, generally starting in October through the first few weeks of January.