This fun Santa Claus Christmas punch isn’t just for the kids! It’s for anyone who wants a delicious drink for the holidays! Made with a strawberry base that’s combined with fruit juices then all topped with creamy vanilla ice cream, this is one you’ll want to make year after year!
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Kid-Friendly Christmas Punch
A few years back, I made the mistake of giving my boys some of this Thanksgiving punch. Since then, they ask for a punch for pretty much every holiday!
I’m a big fan of festive drinks too, so I don’t mind it, but they of course don’t always want the same one! So earlier this year my sister and a couple of my friends came over and we had a big punch day to make all sorts of new holiday punch options!
We came up with everything from a Grinch punch to the best Christmas punch you’ve ever tried (but it’s not as cute and fun as this one)!
This Santa Claus punch might be my personal favorite though because not only is the flavor great, it’s also super festive and fun – we tried our best to give it Santa Claus vibes to work with pretty much any Christmas party theme!
And the little strawberry Santa Claus hats on top – well those just put it over the top, which is what Christmas festivities are all about!
Why you’ll love this
- Festive – this cleverly themed punch is a fun way to give a tasty drink a holiday twist.
- Easy – this punch is really easy to make and only takes a few minutes!
- Inexpensive – this is an easy drink that will work for a large group without breaking the budget.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Red Jello Powder – strawberry works best with the other flavors but you can switch it out for another red flavor. I’ve tried it with cherry too, and that’s also delicious!
- Ginger ale – I do not recommend switching out the soda for something else. We tried it with Sprite, 7-Up, and even Fresca and ginger ale was definitely the best!
- Frozen lemonade – this is the concentrate that you find in the freezer section. This helps chill the punch!
- Vanilla ice cream – this can be skipped if you want a dairy-free option.
How to make Santa Claus Punch
In just a few steps, you’ll have this delicious festive drink that is perfect for serving an entire crowd at your next Christmas party!
1 – Mix Jello
Begin by mixing Jello, hot water, and sugar in a large heat-proof bowl (heat proof meaning you can add boiling water to it). Stir until both sugar and Jello mix has dissolved completely.
Set this aside and allow it to cool. If you don’t allow the Jello mixture time to cool before adding cold ingredients to it, you run the risk of the Jello crystalizing.
Tip!
If you want to hurry the process, you can put the bowl with the jello mixture in it into another bowl that’s half filled with ice water. This can help decrease the temperature of the mixture quicker without the chance of the jello actually starting to set (like it would if you put it in the fridge).
2 – Add Juice
Once the juice is cooled (but before it sets into jello), transfer the jello mixture to a punch bowl and add the pineapple juice and frozen lemonade. Allow this to cool in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
3 – Prep Your Garnishes
For a more festive way to serve, dip the rim of the cup in frosting or marshmallow cream and coat it in white sprinkles.
Make strawberry hats by cutting large marshmallows in half and adding one half of the marshmallow, a strawberry (without the top), and a mini marshmallow to bamboo skewers that are cut in half.
You can totally skip both of these things and just serve it without either of these things but like I said, I like things fun and these add some fun!
Tip!
Bamboo skewers work much better for the Santa hat strawberries because they are long enough to actually rest on the bottom of the cup, keeping the Santa hat upright. You could also use stirring sticks or something else that is tall enough to sit on the bottom of the cup.
4 – Finish and Serve
When you are ready to serve, add the ginger ale and scoops of ice cream, stirring lightly but not so much that you break up all of the ice cream scoops. You want there to be some creaminess to the punch but still get the chunks of ice cream.
If you want to skip the ice cream (to avoid the dairy), just add the ginger ale and omit the ice cream. It’s still good this way, I just like adding frozen treats to my punches (like this gumdrop punch).
Tip!
Adding everything into the punch bowl is the fastest and easiest way to serve this but if you want to do individual classes with the fun sprinkle lined rims and strawberry hats, fill your rimmed cups about 3/4 full and then add a scoop of ice cream and the strawberry hats to finish them off!
Serve the punch immediately! I love the combo of the marshmallow rimmed glasses, the strawberry Santa hat, and the creamy ice cream in this drink!
This would be so fun to serve at a kids Christmas party! Use this printable Santa letter template to write letters to Santa, play this don’t eat Santa game, and enjoy Santa hat cupcakes and this punch for treats!
Expert Tips & Storage Information
Serve the ice cream on the side so people can add their own as they want.
For a more festive way to serve, dip the rim of the cup in frosting or marshmallow cream and coat it in white sprinkles. Finish with a strawberry Santa hat for garnish.
Store the leftovers in the fridge for up to a week. The soda will lose its carbonation, but the flavor will be just as good.
Recipe FAQs
Do I have to allow time for the drink to chill?
If you don’t allow the jello mixture time to cool before adding cold ingredients to it, you run the risk of the jello crystalizing.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! The best way to do that is to follow the recipe through when the juices have been added then keep it in the fridge until you are ready to serve. Then when you’re ready to serve, garnish your glasses and add the vanilla ice cream!
More Easy Christmas Drinks
These other fun Christmas drinks are a fun option if you want something other than this Santa Claus punch!
- Peppermint hot chocolate – this creamy hot chocolate has a hint of peppermint flavor, making it so delicious! Or try this Grinch hot chocolate if you want a Grinchy version of the peppermint flavor!
- Homemade wassail – this crockpot wassail is the easiest and most classic holiday drink ever!
- Frozen hot chocolate – while maybe not a traditional Christmas drink, this is what I personally think they serve at the North Pole!
- Homemade hot chocolate – don’t want the frozen kind? Try this delicious homemade hot chocolate instead!
- Peppermint milkshakes – this fun Chick-Fil-A copycat recipe is always a hit!
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Santa Claus Christmas Punch for Kids
Ingredients
- 1 package strawberry jello
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 5 cups hot water
- 2 cans frozen lemonade
- 20 oz pineapple juice
- 32 oz ginger ale
- 1 quart vanilla ice cream
Optional Garnishes
- 16 strawberries
- 16 mini marshmallows
- 8 regular marshmallows cut in half
- ½ cup marshmallow fluff
- ¼ cup white jimmies (sprinkles)
Instructions
- Dissolve jello and sugar in hot water, then allow to cool completely.1 package strawberry jello, 1 ¾ cups sugar, 5 cups hot water
- Add frozen lemonade and pineapple juice to the jello mixture then chill.2 cans frozen lemonade, 20 oz pineapple juice
- Add chilled ginger ale and ice cream right before serving! If desired, garnish with a sprinkle rim and strawberry Santa hats.32 oz ginger ale, 1 quart vanilla ice cream
Optional Garnishes
- Dip the rim of the cup in marshmallow fluff and coat it in white sprinkles.1/2 cup marshmallow fluff, 1/4 cup white jimmies (sprinkles)
- Make strawberry hats by cutting large marshmallows in half and adding one half of the marshmallow, a strawberry (without the top), and a mini marshmallow to bamboo skewers that are cut in half.16 strawberries, 16 mini marshmallows, 8 regular marshmallows
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