• A refreshing mixed beverage.cocktails image by Bruno Bernier from Fotolia.com
  
  A cocktail party is a low-key, relaxed gathering for nibbling on hors d'oeuvres and sipping spirits, wine and mixed drinks. These get-togethers can be stylish, sophisticated mixers or laid back, casual affairs with friends, and the many colored and flavored rums, vodkas, gins and other liquors that are available will allow you to make an endless variety of mixed drinks---the perfect complement to any party.
  
  

Get Festive

• Rosy red drink for Valentine's Day.cocktail image by Leonid Nyshko from Fotolia.com
  
  Is a holiday approaching? Let that inspire you. A Christmas cocktail party could feature drinks made with candy cane peppermint and eggnog flavors. A Thanksgiving party could feature drinks made with apple cider and cranberry flavors. Also try green drinks for St. Patrick's Day; drinks in patriotic colors for the Fourth of July; and rosy red and pink or very sweet drinks for Valentine's Day.
  
  

The Classics

• The ever-popular margarita.glowing margarita image by Trevor Goodwin from Fotolia.com
  
  New drinks are fun to try, but people come back to what they know. So a party in which everyone's favorite beverages are the main event is a good choice. And knowing how to make some of these drinks is always a good idea for social situations. A few of the most common mixed drinks are martinis, piña coladas, cosmopolitans, margaritas, screwdrivers and gin and tonics.
  
  

Civic Duty

• Blue drinks for Democrats.martini image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com
  
  Gather your politically minded friends together for night of watching election results roll in. Put out stuffed elephants and donkeys, and make blue drinks for democrats, red drinks for republicans and maybe white for independents. Or make drinks that pay tribute to the candidates' home states. Remind everyone that after enough drinks, those on the losing side won't even care that they lost. May the better candidate win!
  
  

Flavors to Savor

• Cream and chocolate liqueurs are great in mixed drinks.cocktail image by Murar Gianino Sorin from Fotolia.com
  
  Pick a particular flavor to base your beverage menu on. Popular coffee-, chocolate- or fruit-flavored drinks lend themselves well to complementary hors d'oeuvres. An ideal ingredient for this kind of libation is a liqueur, which is high in alcohol and sugar content and has added flavorings. There are coffee, cream, chocolate, hazelnut, limoncello and orange liqueurs, just to name a few.
  
  

Around the World

• Vodka is the traditional ingredient in Long Island ice tea.ice tea, isolated image by Tamara Kulikova from Fotolia.com
  
  Serve drinks with international names like French Kiss, White Russian, Singapore Sling and Bahama Mama. Or, pick a country, and serve drinks made from that region's famous liquor. Rums (the Caribbean) make good daiquiris and highballs. Tequila (Mexico) is used in margaritas. Vodka (Russia) is the traditional ingredient in bloody Marys and Long Island iced teas. Whiskey (Ireland) is good in Manhattans and mint juleps.