New Year’s Eve is the party I look forward to all year, every year. Whether it’s a festive night in or a big bash with friends, the cocktails are always the star of the show. Here are some of my favorite celebratory sips.

Nothing says New Year’s Eve like a splash of sparkle. From champagne toasts to sparkling ciders, I always look for a dazzling addition to my drink menu. One of my all-time favorite year-end cocktails is a Platinum Sparkler. It combines three parts vodka to one-part white wine and lemon juice, shaken together and poured into a chilled toasting flute. Top it off with champagne for the ultimate sparkle and garnish with a cherry for added sweetness. To keep my glasses equally sparkling and ready for a toast, I turn to my Star Sapphire® Dishwasher. With the fastest hot water cycle and most exceptional drying power with StarDry™with Zeolite™, it reduces the need to towel dry any of my items during a fun-filled night.

Every good party needs a stunning spiked punch bowl. Keeping champagne in the mix, I love to create a shareable treat for everyone enjoying the night. My always-popular pick is a Pomegranate-Champagne Punch – combining champagne, rum, pomegranate juice and a light sugar mixture for a festive feeling. I add in pomegranate seeds, lemon slices and mint leaves for a sweet-tart creation.

Sparkling cocktails make for a mature take on a childhood tradition, and there’s no such thing as too much sparkle on New Year’s Eve. For the perfect drink to reflect on the accomplishments of the year, and to toast to times ahead, I serve a beautiful Jardesca Royale. A straightforward sip, I combine 3 oz of Jardesca Red Aperitiva with 2 oz of sparkling wine, and top it off with an orange twist. The Jardesca Red Aperitiva brings together three artisanal red wines for a mix of something both refreshing and delicious. To store my favorite Jardesca bottles, I count on my Thermador Under Counter Wine Reserve. The adjustable temperature zones let my keep all my selections chilled to perfection, so they’re ready for at-home use or to grab and go from the full-extension wine racks.

Personally, the most exciting part of the celebration is the countdown into the new year. When the ball drops in Times Square, we all cheer for what’s to come. The only drink I want in hand when this time comes is a Melon Ball Drop. Both delicious and festive, its fruity taste is one you’ll want to enjoy all night. Using a citrus vodka as well as an elderflower liqueur, I mix in sweet green liquor and a few lemons for a tangy twist. A gorgeous salted-rim and melon ball garnish tops it off making it most perfect for the occasion. To make sure all my glasses are ready in time for midnight, I again turn to my Star Sapphire® Dishwasher, which illuminates the room night in any color with the beautiful Star Glow lighting system powered by the Thermador Connected Experience by Home Connect™.

How will you be toasting to the New Year? Share your thoughts with us in the comments or on our social channels: www.facebook.com/thermador, @ThermadorHome and @Thermador.