Pour Chambord into a champagne flute or other tall glass, then add champagne. Finish by dropping seeds into the cocktail.

Source: "Holiday Cocktails" by Jessica Strand (Chronicle, $15.95).

Review: The raspberry-flavored Chambord tastes great when mixed with champagne, and the edible, sweet pomegranate seeds aren't annoying to have floating in the drink.

AMERICA SPARKLES

• Blue sugar crystals
• 1 ounce Chambord
• 1/2 ounce Cook's brut champagne

Cointreau or less-expensive triple sec orange liqueur

Dip rim of tall champagne flute into a dish with a small amount of Cointreau, then into a dish with blue sugar crystals. Add Chambord and Cointreau, then champagne.

Source: Cook's Champagne.

Review: This is a patriotic-looking drink. We almost threw this recipe out when we found out Cointreau (an orange liqueur) costs almost $40 a bottle, but a store clerk suggested using the similar orange-flavored triple sec ($6.29).

SPARKLING CRANBERRY ROSÉ

• 1 sugar cube
• 1 ounce cranberry cocktail
• Champagne, sparkling rosé wine or sparkling white grape juice
• Fresh cranberries for garnish

Place one sugar cube in the bottom of a chilled champagne flute or other tall, narrow glass. Add cranberry juice, then wine or juice. Garnish with wooden skewer of fresh cranberries.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens magazine.

Review: Light-flavored, versatile drink that can be made with alcohol or without. The cranberry skewer is optional.

NONALCOHOLIC CRANBERRY COCKTAIL

• 6 ounces cranberry juice cocktail
• 2 ounces club soda
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange juice
• Lime twist for garnish

Pour cranberry juice into a red wine glass filled with crushed ice. Add club soda and lime and orange juices, then stir. Garnish with lime twist.

Source: "Holiday Cocktails" by Jessica Strand (Chronicle, $15.95).

Review: Nonalcoholic drink tastes a bit like punch without having to make a giant bowl of it.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS COCKTAIL

• 1/2 ounce vodka
• 1/2 ounce Cointreau (or substitute triple sec)
• 2 ounces cranberry juice cocktail
• 3 ounces champagne
• Vodka-soaked orange wedge
• Vodka-soaked cranberries

Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in vodka, Cointreau and cranberry juice. Fill with champagne and garnish with a vodka-soaked orange wedge or several cranberries.

Source: Martha Stewart Holiday magazine.