North Carolina: This Is Our 2023 Most Popular Christmas Drink
Tasting Table recently detailed the most popular Christmas drink in every state, and the choice in North Carolina is surprising.
“Just what beverage puts you in the Christmas spirit may depend on in which U.S. state you live,” they said.
Holiday drinks can make you feel joy before you even take a sip. That’s because they represent being in great company and celebrating the season. Krafty Christmas concoctions are welcomed with a wide range of festive options. Whether you are partying with friends and family, curling up by the fire to watch a holiday movie, or out at the company bash, these drinks are often part of the experience.
Tasting Table explained that the poinsettia cocktail is the most popular drink this year. This is a nice mix of champagne, triple sec, and cranberry juice. If you really want to make it catch the eye, you can add a little pine or mint garnish to make the red and green colors pop. Moreover, 12 states point to the poinsettia cocktail as their favorite drink this holiday season.
Nonetheless, North Carolina was part of a group that chose another popular Christmas drink as the favorite for 2022.
North Carolina Prefers The Coquito
Tasting Table detailed that North Carolina, Iowa, Texas, New Jersey, Florida, Maryland, and Kentucky are all pouring rum this season. By analyzing search data and Google trends, it was determined that there was an increase in popularity for the coquito.
“If you’re looking to branch out from the typical cranberry and mulled wine holiday beverages, you may want to try coquito, which means “little coconut,” Tasting Table explained.
Here is all you need to create a great Christmas version of this drink. With a base of coconut milk (condensed milk), mix in vanilla, coconut cream, rum, spices, and To really pump up the festive spirit, you can add in peppermint garnishes and cinnamon sticks.
3 Potential NFL Draft Destinations For UNC's Drake Maye
On Wednesday, December 27, North Carolina will play their last game of the season in Charlotte (Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. West Virginia). With Drake Maye being one of the top prospects in the 2024 NFL draft, it’s time to take a look at three potential landing destinations for the star quarterback.
UNC is coming off a 8-4 record this season. Although his statistics were not as high as last year, Maye still had an incredible year, throwing for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns. At just 21 years old, Maye is the ideal size for a NFL quarterback, standing 6 foot 4.
2024 Draft Class
Many of the top players have still to officially declare for the draft. Yet, the expectation is that all the names we are seeing atop the mock draft boards will be moving up to the next level. There have been eyes on this year’s class for a few years now. That’s largely due to the generational quarterback pool.
USC’s Caleb Williams is a safe assumption to be the first overall pick. That’s where things can get tricky. The Carolina Panthers currently have the worst record at 1-11. However, due to last year’s trade, the Chicago Bears own their pick. Do the Bears need or want a QB? They just drafted Justin Fields. Of course, we still have the NFL combine, player pro days, and team meetings ahead of us. Much can change in that time. Still, I believe Maye will be the next quarterback taken after Williams.
To further emphasize how deep (and potentially special) this class is, three of the four Heisman Trophy finalists this season are quarterbacks. None of them are named Caleb Williams or Drake Maye (Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr.)
Come April, we can see as many as 10 NFL teams in need of a new quarterback. Here are three NFL teams that have a good probability of selecting in the top five picks of the NFL draft, where Drake Maye will likely be taken.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
