Welcome your Thanksgiving guests with one of these easy cocktails or punches. Choose from warm and spicy apple-rum punch, cool and elegant Champagne-cranberry cocktails, and more.

Simmer apple cider with cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, and orange slices to infuse it with spicy fall flavor. Mix the warm mulled cider with dark rum before serving, or add the rum to each guest's mug according to his or her preference.

Champagne and ginger ale make an elegantly sparkling cocktail. Cranberry juice and orange liqueur add blush and sweetness.

Angostura bitters add a bracing bite to this easy punch made simply from apple juice and club soda. Add a splash of bourbon if you like. Serve with Beet Chips

This twist on the Dark and Stormy cocktail uses vodka in place of rum, while a good dose of lime juice makes it extra refreshing. The recipe calls for ginger beer, which is spicier and a little less sweet than ginger ale.

One recipe for cranberry simple syrup is the inspiration for two easy aperitifs. Make a spritzer by combining it with vodka and seltzer, or add a splash to dry white or sparkling wine.

A traditional blend of warm spices -- cinnamon, star anise, allspice, and cloves -- flavors this classic mulled apple cider. Ribbons of lemon zest add zing. The cider can be served directly from the stove or kept hot in a slow cooker.

Bourbon and ginger ale make a winning combination in this easy highball. Squeeze a wedge of lime into each glass before serving.

Combine pear nectar, cranberry juice, and Prosecco to make this easy, elegant cocktail. You can also make a nonalcoholic version by substituting the sparkling wine for seltzer or ginger ale.

Begin with homemade sour mix -- orange juice, lemon juice, and triple sec -- for a truly excellent cocktail. The sour mix can be made a day ahead to save time on Thanksgiving day. Serve with a dish of Herb-Cheese Palmiers.