There is truly something extra special about this season. Thinking about loved ones near and far. Wrapping gifts. Hoping you remembered what you need at the grocery store.

It’s interesting how eggnog hits the shelves in November and disappears the day after New Years. It’s what grocers call a “seasonal” item. Take a look at eggnog’s nutrition facts label and you’ll understand why no one wants to touch it once they make New Year’s resolutions.

According to the Old Farmers Almanac, eggnog originated in medieval times and was brought to the states from Britain. Back then, this concoction of milk and eggs was spiked with significant amounts of alcohol such as whiskey or brandy. It, too, was a seasonal drink, primarily because the ingredients to make it were quite expensive.

George Washington was rumored to have made heavily spiked eggnog for his guests at Mount Vernon, but this has been dismissed by historians. They say he did serve cherry bounce, however—a beverage made with cherries from his estate that were soaked in brandy.

Most of us have experienced traditional holiday drinks—spiked or not—at this time of year. Growing up in New Mexico, the last thing my family did on Christmas Eve—after candlelight church service and driving through neighborhoods lined with luminarias (illuminated candles inside bags of sand)—was to enjoy a glass of eggnog (no alcohol) with nutmeg sprinkled on top. To this day, there’s always a carton in the fridge for this very purpose.

And come to think of it, my mom made a pretty mean cherry bounce from the cherry tree in our yard. It definitely contained alcohol and was only imbibed by adults in teeny tiny glasses.

Tradition or not, health experts do warn us about the lethal effects of excessive alcohol intake. In fact, there is no current guideline regarding a “safe” level of drinking.

Most experts, including the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, say that “adults of legal drinking age can choose not to drink or limit their intake to two drinks in a day for men and one drink or less in a day for women.”

What constitutes “a drink” is the trick here since it has to do with the content of “alcohol by volume” or ABV of a beverage. If you add distilled spirits like rum or whiskey to your eggnog, 1.5 ounces (the larger end of a jigger) is considered one serving of alcohol. Wine? Just 5 ounces, a little over half a cup. And a typical 12-ounce can or bottle of beer is considered one drink.

How to enjoy holiday traditions within these guidelines? If you choose to drink, sip and enjoy…slowly. Ask for a nonalcoholic sparkling water or other beverage in place of that second or third drink. It will certainly help cheer your head, health and waistline.

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