New Years Eve is upon us and it’s time to welcome in 2013! Here are some New Years Eve champagne cocktail ideas for your party found on MarthStewart.com.

1. Lemon Drop Champagne Punch

Ingredients:

• 3 lemons, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 bottle (750 milliliters) Champagne, chilled
• 3/4 cup best-quality vodka, chilled
• 4 ounces candied lemon peels

Directions:

1. With a vegetable peeler, remove zest from each lemon in a long, continuous spiral. Juice lemons, and strain pulp (you should have 3/4 cup juice). Set aside.
2. Heat sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Add zest. Let syrup cool completely, about 2 hours.
3. Pour Champagne, vodka, lemon juice, and syrup into a punch bowl; stir. Serve glasses of punch with candied peels.

2. Lavender Champagne

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried lavender
• 4 bottles (750 mL) dry Champagne or sparkling wine, chilled
• Fresh lavender sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

1. Bring sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Stir in dried lavender. Remove from heat. Let cool completely. Strain out lavender. Refrigerate syrup until ready to serve (up to 1 month).
2. Pour about 6 ounces Champagne and 1 1/2 teaspoons syrup into each flute. Garnish each with a lavender sprig.

3. Kir Royales

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) creme de cassis
• 1 bottle Champagne or other sparkling white wine
• 6 strips tangerine or orange zest, for garnish

Directions:

1. Just before serving, pour 1 tablespoon creme de cassis into each glass. Fill with Champagne, and garnish with zest.

Cocktail Recipes found on MarthaStewart.com