The Perfect Holiday Drink Upgrade
Festive Ice cubes with Citrus, Herb, and Spice

A December Without Winter

Living in a tropical climate gently reshapes your sense of the seasons. December does not bring the familiar chill, knitted scarves, or the muted sounds of winter streets. Instead, it arrives with warm air that settles softly on everything, the kind of gentle humidity that keeps skin surprisingly nourished. Stepping outside requires almost no preparation – just a T shirt, shorts, and a pair of Birkenstocks, and you are ready for the day. The rhythm is light, easy, and quietly kind to everyday life.

In this sort of environment, winter is not something that naturally arrives on its own. It becomes something we create intentionally – through imagination, small rituals, sakura for spring, and sometimes winter through ice.

Forward Planning and the Second Fridge

The idea of making festive ice cubes sounds playful and easy, especially when you imagine bright citrus and herbs suspended in crystal-clear blocks. The only real requirement is freezer space. Our freezer tends to stay cheerfully full, shaped by our cooking habits and the warm climate, where certain ingredients simply rest better in the cool.

As the holiday season approached, we realized that adding a bit of seasonal sparkle to our drinks would be much simpler with extra room. So began what we affectionately called Forward Planning – lighthearted conversations about whether a second fridge might be helpful, moving furniture to explore options, and eventually deciding that this small addition would bring more ease and flexibility to our home.

When the new fridge finally took its place, it felt less like an upgrade and more like an invitation to create small winter traditions of our own. And now it’s time I prepared my very first batch of festive ice cubes.

Inspired by Anna’s Winter Charm

The inspiration, of course, came from Anna, the wonderfully creative soul behind Instagram’s @theworldisyourcookpot. Last December, her Christmas ice cubes appeared on my feed like tiny stained-glass scenes – small windows into winter brightness. There was a sense of charm in how simple they were, yet how much delight they carried.

Her advice was wonderfully straightforward: “Pop some Christmassy ingredients into large ice cube moulds.”
Simple indeed, but beautifully effective.

I followed her approach with what I had in my kitchen that day: orange slices, ruby pomegranate seeds, bright rosemary sprigs, star anise, and cinnamon sticks. Cranberries would have added a lovely pop of red, but part of the joy of living here is learning to improvise with what is at hand. The final mix looked wonderfully cheerful, each cube holding a tiny pocket of seasonal spirit.

A Drinkable Snow Globe

The magic reveals itself the moment the ice meets the drink. I poured soda over a small spoonful of ginger syrup, dropped in a cube, and watched the winter scene slowly loosen and brighten. The star anise drifted gently like a miniature boat, the rosemary lifted like a tiny evergreen, and the cinnamon stick – peeking from the ice – became a warming, fragrant stirrer.

For a moment, it looked just like a softly shaken snow globe.
A drinkable snow globe.

Each sip brought together citrus brightness, herbal freshness, and the gentle warmth of spice. It was a moment of quiet joy tucked into a sparkling drink. And yes, I will absolutely reuse the cinnamon sticks for myself. They feel too dignified to leave behind after a single appearance.

Rituals, Community, and the Joy of December

Seasonal rituals often begin in the smallest of gestures. These festive ice cubes are not an elaborate dessert or a grand dish, yet they turn an everyday beverage into something celebratory.

They remind me that the feeling of December is often carried by small, meaningful acts – slicing fruit, tucking rosemary into a mold, watching ice form overnight, pouring sparkling water the next day. These simple steps create a sense of season, even in a place without winter’s chill.

Community shapes the experience too. These cubes are my entry for lovely Claire’s @thecutlivator December challenge for #MDK2025. Claire’s warmth and creativity make seasonal cooking feel beautifully communal. If you are at all curious, you should absolutely reach out to her – it is never too late to join.

This also marks my first entry for @r_schoofje’s December weekend challenge, themed “that list,” dedicated to the ideas we keep meaning to try but never quite get to. Festive ice cubes lived on my list for a long while. This year, they finally moved from intention to reality.

Ingredient list & Steps in Text

Ingredients

• Orange slices
• Pomegranate seeds
• Cranberries
• Rosemary sprigs (so Christmassy!)
• Star anise
• Cinnamon sticks (they add such warm aroma, serving also as a stirrer)
• Other holiday ingredients you enjoy

Instructions

1. Prepare a large ice cube tray.
2. Arrange the ingredients in each compartment, balancing colors and shapes.
3. Slowly pour water to keep everything in place.
4. Freeze fully.
5. Add to soda, ginger-syrup spritz, gin and tonic, casual wine, juice, just about anything you fancy.
6. Watch the winter scene bloom gently in your glass.

Quick flow in photo

きらきらホリデー気分アイス

本日のお題は“スノードーム”。
ハーブやスパイス、色鮮やかなフルーツやハーブが氷の中で輝いて、華やかなフルーツを閉じ込めた氷をシュワっとした飲み物に浮かべるとホリデー気分がぐっと高まります。
おもてなしやパーティーにもぴったり✨

レシピというほどではないのですが、忘備録として。大きめのアイスキューブ型に、クリスマスらしい食材をぎゅっと詰めて冷やすだけ。ジン&トニックやソーダに加えると、見た目も香りも一気に華やかになります。

材料は、お好みのクリスマスっぽいフルーツやスパイス。おすすめは、オレンジ、クランベリー、ザクロ、ローズマリー、シナモンスティックetc
少し大きめの製氷皿に材料をバランスよく詰め、水をそっと注いでしっかり凍らせます
あとはお好きなドリンク（炭酸水、リキュール、カジュアルなワイン、ジュースなど）にポンと入れたら完成

ポイントとして、シナモンスティック入りのアイスは、グラスの中で少し混ぜるとふわっと香りが立ち、さらに華やかに