The winter holidays have been full of many wonderful things. The lights, the songs and the smells. However, one topic brought up every year has been the best holiday drink? There have been many choices from coffees to teas, but the best drink by far, has been warm apple cider, the non-alcoholic version, of course.

Apple cider can be purchased in any grocery store during the fall and winter seasons, and it is the one drink that sums up the entire holiday season with its tastes and smells. The flavors are delicious, and the spices put into it–like cinnamon and nutmeg–make it almost impossible to put the glass down. It warms one up on a cold day, and it compliments holiday dinners. Luckily, there are usually spiced and unspiced variations for different tastes, but with the added flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and other spices, there is no meal where apple cider would be out of place.

Sadly, apple cider prices vary depending on the price of apples and usually cost around $5-$10 per gallon, so if one would rather be adventurous and make his own apple cider, a simple online search would yield numerous recipes for both spiced and unspiced versions as well as versions modifying the ingredients for a desired taste. A good site for many recipes is http://allrecipes.com/recipes/drinks/cider/ .

Frequently, apple cider and apple juice are thought to be the same exact thing. The only difference is that apple cider is unfiltered, but apple juice is filtered. Notably, apple cider is also spiced, but apple juice is typically not. Also, apple cider is better than apple juice because apple juice is quite plain. In other words, apple cider takes apple juice and adds character and flavors. Apple cider also puts people in the holiday spirit. The flavors work well with the scents of the holidays, and there is no time where apple cider would be out of place.

Moreover, apple cider is by far the best drink for the holidays as it works well with every holiday meal. It also warms one up when one comes inside on a cold day. No matter what one is feeling, apple cider is the drink to cheer one up and put one in the holiday spirit.