'Tis the season for twinkle lights, festive cocktails and, above all, the spirit of giving. Last week, at hot Union Square lounge Hawthorn, 7x7 teamed up with Maker's Mark and La Cocina for #ItsGoingToGetUgly, an ugly sweater party with a heart—proceeds from the event benefitted beloved local charity La Cocina.Donning their most saccharine, grandmotherly, and downright unfashionable sweaters, guests snacked on delectable South American food from Sabores del Sur, grooved to remixed holiday jams by DJ Proof, and hammed it up for the Snap Fiesta photo booth.

Maker's Mark 46delivered a healthy dose of the holiday spirit in three custom cocktails—including Granny's Grog, an apple-ginger concoction, and Home for the Holidays, with hints of cherry and vanilla. Maker’s 46 begins with the Maker's Mark base bourbon which is then reaged for several months, only during the winter, in barrels containing seared French oak staves. Basically, Maker's 46 is Maker's Mark's bigger, bolder older brother. 

The evening honored La Cocina, the non-profit kitchen incubator for low-income food entrepreneurs. Focusing primarily on immigrant women and those from communities of color, Mission-based La Cocina is now fostering 30 up-and-coming businesses and a growing roster of graduates around the Bay Area.