Christmas Punch (Nonalcoholic)

For more years than I want to remember, Richard and I have sponsored a little reception after the Christmas Eve service at the Old South Haven Presbyterian Church. One side of the table has been Jan's Eggnog (see), a tradition that extends for many years before we took the task. On the other side of the table is a nonalcoholic "Christmas" punch. Between is stacked with Christmas sweets—mostly acquired by Richard on various shopping excursions (we long ago discovered that the bakery can do a better job at cookies than we can). It is the Christmas punch that has always been most troublesome. I have tried both hot and cold punches, but all have been unsatisfying. Most of the time they have been just too sweet, especially given the quantity of other sweets on the table. I now think I have found a combination that is close to what I've been looking for. And for the first time ever, I received as many complements on the punch as I have received on the eggnog.

Recipe

4 cups 100% pure unsweetened cranberry juice (NOT the cranberry juice cocktails mass marketed in the supermarkets, which are mostly water and sugar).
2 quarts (64 ounces) pineapple juice.
Juice of six lemons (about 1.5 cup)
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
2 2-litre bottle of ginger ale
12 oz. frozen strawberries.

Combine together all ingredients except ginger ale and strawberries. Refrigerate until ready to use. Refrigerate ginger ale.
Make a frozen strawberry ring, and keep frozen until ready to use
Just before serving, stir in ginger ale and float strawberry ring.

Makes TWO punch bowls (about 20 servings total). In combining, use only one-half of mixture and ginger ale at a time.

Volumes

Christmas Punch (Nonalcoholic)

Recipe