To really get the parties started, punch is essential. Here are three bowls from some of our favorite bars to get your guests in the spirit.

Julekake Punch

Inspired by the Norwegian Christmas bread his Swedish grandmother used to make, Trick Dog bar manager Morgan Schick created Julekake (pronounced yoo-luh-kah-kuh) Punch. Schick garnishes the bowl with cardamom pods and dried fruits—a nod to the Julekake loafs he used to smother with butter and nosh on Christmas mornings before opening gifts. Word to Schick's grandmother.

Ingredients

6 parts Wild Turkey Rye

1 part Cynar

2 parts Bols Genever

1 part Crème de Cassis

2 parts Triple Sec

2 parts cardamom syrup (available at Scoutmob.com, or find a recipe here)

6 parts cold Earl Grey tea

4 parts lemon juice

Dried fruits and cardamom pods for garnish

1. Throw all ingredients, except garnishes, in a bowl over 1 large block of ice.
2. Garnish with dried fruits and cardamom pods and serve.

Tea and Krampus

Leave it to Martin Cate of Smuggler's Cove to go to the dark side of the holiday for inspiration for this concoction. The name play on tea and crumpets recalls the mythical dark companion of St. Nicholas from ancient Alpine folklore: While kindly old Saint Nick rewards good children each year, he leaves the task of punishing naughty kids to The Krampus, who swats them with switches before dragging them in baskets to a fiery netherworld. Better not pout!

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces Appleton Estate Reserve Rum

1/2 ounce Coruba Dark Rum

1/2 ounce Leopold Bros. Blackberry Liqueur

1/4 ounce St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram

1 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce pineapple juice

1/2 ounce vanilla syrup (find it online at Anthropologie, or find a recipe here)

1 dash Angostura Bitters

Fresh grated nutmeg

1. Multiply by desired servings and combine all ingredients except nutmeg.
2. Chill for 3 hours.
3. 20 minutes before service, pour into a punch bowl filled with ice, and grate nutmeg over the top to taste.

Millionaire's Punch

Scott Beattie, preeminent bar star who mans the stick at St. Helena's Goose & Gander, takes your punch bowl to the next level with this high-rolling recipe.

Ingredients (makes 50 portions)

50 ounces (2 bottles) Smith & Cross rum

50 ounces (2 bottles) Plymouth Sloe gin

50 ounces (2 bottles) Rothman & Winter apricot liqueur

50 ounces lime juice (preferably freshly squeezed; 50 limes)

18 ounces POM pomegranate juice

18 ounces simple syrup (1:1 ratio sugar to warm water, combined)

1 quart cold water

50 dashes angostura bitters

Edible flowers & berries for garnish (Beattie suggests frozen raspberries, blueberries, blackberries; and SF Flower Mart for orchids)

1. Add all ingredients to a large plastic or glass container. Stir and chill for at least 3 hours.
2. To serve, stir punch, fill punchbowl two-thirds of the way to the top, then add block ice or enough cubed ice to displace the punch about 1 inch from the rim of the bowl.
3. Garnish with berries and edible flowers and serve with punch cups on the side.