Start preparing this special mixture by pouring a gallon of unfiltered sweet apple cider into a big pot. Go for organic cider or juice from the farmer’s market for best taste and energetic effects, but it is even better if you can make cider from apples you have gathered or harvested. Take a bottle of your favorite low-cost red wine and heat it in a large pot gently on a low flame. Add sugar, cinnamon, and cloves to your taste, but include at least a teaspoon of cloves and a tablespoon each of sugar and cinnamon. Pour the cider into the warmed wine, and add thirteen whole cloves and six cinnamon sticks. Simmer, stirring every six minutes. Notice how your entire home fills with the spicy sweetness of merriment. After thirty minutes, it will be ready to serve.