Hot cocoa, gluhwein, and eggnog may be the preferred drinks of the holiday season, but that doesn’t mean that a refreshing can of holiday soda can’t hit the same (or even better). If you’re in one of those places—mentally or physically— where you’d rather cool off than warm up, here are some seasonal soda flavors that will quench your thirst and leave you feeling merry and bright all the same. From this year’s holiday Sprite to a Jones soda holiday pack in the form of an advent calendar, these are the best seasonal sodas to sip between now and the new year.
- Winter Spiced Cranberry Sprite
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Everyone loves Cranberry Sprite, but the brand mixed things up this year (much to the chagrin of many soda freaks) by once again releasing the Winter Spiced Cranberry version. Originally released in 2019, Winter Spiced Cranberry is not the Internet’s favorite flavor. In fact, Reddit users claim that the plain Cranberry Sprite of old was miles better. That said, we tried Winter Spiced Cranberry Sprite and really liked it. Just steer clear of the zero sugar version unless you want to ruin Christmas, Grinch-style.
- Shirley Temple 7UP
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It’s honestly shocking to me that no one has tried to make Shirley Temples into a mainstream canned soda yet. It’s one of the most versatile non-alcoholic cocktails out there (or alcoholic, if you’re having a bad day and upgrade to a Dirty Shirley). Personally, I would never pass up the opportunity for a Shirley—which is what makes the release of 7UP Shirley Temple so exciting. If you can’t be bothered to mix one yourself, crack open a can of this pre-mixed Shirley and let the taste of childhood wash over you. And again, we loved the full-sugar version but recommend avoiding the zero sugar version.
Read the full review of 7UP Shirley Temple
- Alani Winter Wonderland
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If you’re trying to stay in the holiday spirit but need an extra pep in your step to keep up with the shopping, cleaning, and family reunions, look no further than the Alani’s newest flavor, Winter Wonderland. We know what you’re thinking: What the hell is “winter wonderland” flavor? No word on that, but Alani describes it as “frosty, merry and bright.” Sure!
- Starry Cranberry Blizz
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Starry may be the forgotten sibling of the lemon lime soda brands, but their dedication to making a holiday soda everyone wants should give them a boost this winter. We don’t know what the “Cranberry Blizz” flavor profile entails, but we’ll find out soon—this holiday soda is expected to be released (in zero sugar only) this month.
- Canada Dry Cranberry and Blackberry
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Canada Dry ginger ale is best known for being a stomach-settling nectar of the gods, but the brand does a lot. Last year we taste tested 15 Canada Dry flavors, two of which are being released as holiday sodas for the season: Cranberry Canada Dry and Blackberry Canada Dry. According to Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling, Cranberry Canada Dry “smells and tastes like actual cranberry juice—tart and tangy,” and Blackberry “tastes like a blue Tootsie Pop with a touch of ginger ale on the finish.” In other words, fine holiday fun.
Read the full ranking of the best Canada Dry flavors
- Jones Soda Advent Calendar
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Tis the season for accumulating a bunch of junk you don’t really need, but your advent calendar can actually be useful. This Jones soda advent calendar comes with 24-day supply of soda and Jones merchandise, so you always have something clean to wear when you inevitably fall behind on laundry during the festivities. I can’t lie, I kind of love this idea—but for $150, we’ll leave it up to you to decide if this Jones soda holiday pack is actually worth your cash.
