Simple Punches

• Vodka and cranberry juice -- which is vodka cran to those in the know -- is a staple at any watering hole. Working with this proven pairing, you can easily create a punch with just these two ingredients with 1 part vodka and 2 parts cranberry juice. Adding a dash of lime or topping the punch with club soda or ginger ale will give the punch more of a bite, and substituting half of the cranberry juice with orange juice and topping with lemon-lime or plain soda helps to balance it.

Holiday Treats

• Cranberries both symbolize and signal the winter holidays, so make your punch into a Christmas one. One simple punch calls for lemon-lime soda, lemonade and fresh lemons and limes in addition to vodka and cranberry juice. Pour 1 part vodka, 2 parts cranberry juice and 4 parts lemon-lime soda into a punch bowl filled with ice. Stir in 4 parts lemonade and top with fresh lemon and lime slices. Substitute two-thirds of the cranberry juice with pomegranate juice and half the vodka with orange liqueur and mix in a handful of cranberries for a fancier punch.

Fruit Bowls

• Vodka and cranberry juice also mix well with other juices, making far fruitier punches. Pour equal parts vodka, cranberry juice and apple cider or juice into a punch bowl full of ice and top with slices of lime for a simple adult punch. Substitute the apple cider or juice with half as much grapefruit juice and top with lemon-lime or club soda to cut the sweetness with a little saltiness. To weaken the kick of the punch, halve the amount of vodka or add twice as much of the other beverages.

Sparkling Refreshments

• A poinsettia is like a mimosa, but instead of pouring sparkling wine over orange juice, you pour it over cranberry juice instead. This pairing of cranberry juice and sparkling wine also works well with cranberry juice and vodka punches. One punch satisfies the sweet and the tart with a couple of scoops of sherbet. Pour 1 part vodka, 2 parts cranberry juice, 4 parts each of orange juice and orange or pineapple sherbet and 1 part sparkling wine into a punch bowl. If you don't have or don't want to waste the sparkling, substitute it with ginger ale, club or lemon-lime soda and double the amount of vodka.