Today is National Punch Day—one of our favorite holidays here at Punchbowl.com! The word “punch” allegedly comes from the Hindustani word “panch,” which means “five.” In the early 1600s, sailors and employees of the British East India Company brought a new exotic drink from India to England. The beverage was made with five ingredients—spirits, lemon, sugar, water, and tea.

Punch spread from country to country and became one of the most popular party drinks in the world. Today there are hundreds of different punch recipes. Many of them still incorporate the five key ingredients: base (alcohol), citrus, sugar, water, and spice.

Mix up your favorite concoction for National Punch Day and serve it in a beautiful punch bowl!