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You might think of the margarita as a summer drink, but it’s truly one you can enjoy all winter long — especially this cranberry Margarita.

The bright, vibrant citrus flavors of the most-ordered drink in America brighten up even the shortest, dreariest winter day. In fact, National Margarita Day is smack dab in the middle of winter — February 22 — when we all need reminders of summer the most!

FOR THIS RECIPE: How to make cranberry simple syrup

The origins of the salt-rimmed sipper aren’t exactly clear. As one theory goes, the first Margarita — which means daisy in Spanish — was an adaptation of the daisy, a similar drink in the ’30s and ’40s.

Among those rumored to have first created the drink are a bartender who admired (and named it after) Rita Hayworth, another who mixed it up for a beautiful showgirl, and a Texas socialite who served it at fancy parties at her Acapulco beach house.

Whatever its origins, Jose Cuervo was featuring the concoction in ads by 1945, solidifying its place as a cocktail icon. The 1950s saw the invention of many handy new appliances, including the electric blender — which led to the creation of the frozen Margarita. In the 1970s, an inventive cruise ship bartender adapted an old soft-serve ice cream machine to create the smooth, slushy version we know and love.

How ever it came to be, the Margarita is the most frequently ordered drink in the U.S. The word itself even features in the lyrics of more than 400 songs!

Here’s a version that incorporates the sweet-tart pucker of cranberry, and glows with a festive bright red hue.

Welcome to the holidays in Margaritaville!

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