I'm a big fan of pomegranate syrup that you can get from middle eastern grocery stores. It's basically concentrated pomegranate juice, so it saves a lot of boiling and stirring time. Also mix 1-1 with simple syrup and you have the best grenadine ever.
Wait, where do you find it in Atlanta? I went looking for some once, but the only ME grocery store in Athens didn't stock any (and was ALSO extremely sketchy, which means last time I went there, a random creepy man followed me all the way to my car screaming at me for reasons only known to him).
Simmering a pomegranate sauce for thirty minutes makes your house smell like amazing for like two days. Added bonus.
It'll be dueling with the mulled wine to set the tone for the evening!
What are you guys cooking for the holidays, if you celebrate?