Why do we drink eggnog during the holiday season? Eggnog is a dairy based drink consistent with eggs, dairy, sugar, and sometimes alcohol. The English have been drinking eggnog for several hundred years starting with the wealthy. They would drink warm milk and egg beverages seasoned with expensive spices like nutmeg and cinnamon and then preserve it with pricey liquors. After it crossed the Atlantic, Americans started using rum because it was more cost-efficient. Colonists referred to rum as "grog" and bartenders served rum in small wooden carved mugs called "noggins". Thus, the name eventually became named egg-n-grog and over time eggnog.
Eggnog became tied to the holidays when it was adopted in the United States in the 1700s. There are many different versions of the drink including cold, hot, non alcoholic and flavored so people with varying preferences can experience the taste. Eggnog and eggnog flavoring may also be used in other drinks, such as coffee and creamers. Whether you drink eggnog for history, tradition, taste, or to be festive, there is no incorrect way!