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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
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When it comes to eggnog, people don’t tend to straddle the fence. It’s either not Christmas without it, or the idea of drinking a warm egg-based beverage is unpleasant to say the least. Wherever you stand, file three bits of eggnog trivia away to impress your friends at the next holiday party.

  1. Eggnog has been around for a long time. Captain John Smith reported that eggnog was consumed in 1607 in Jamestown, Va.
  2. “Nog” is an English word for strong ale, and eggnog was originally made with ale. Eggnog is descended from the English drink “posset” or “sack posset,” which was a hot drink made with sweetened milk and ale or a Spanish wine called “sack.”
  3. Americans adapted it but used American liquors, like rum, or even cider. Early American cookbooks listed eggnog recipes in sections for the sick and infirm.

Source: Foodreference.com

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The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.