7-Up Cranberry Punch

This is the most delicious punch. My mom used to make it for holiday gatherings. My sisters and I could never get enough of this punch and looked forward to gatherings when my mom would make it. It has a unique flavor with the cinnamon syrup. Appears as though it takes a long time to make but it is the cinnamon syrup that requires advance preparation. My mom would make the syrup up days in advance of the punch and store it in the refrigerator.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 8 mins
• Yields: 35 cups

Ingredients

• 2  cups water
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 4  cinnamon sticks
• 3  cups cranberry juice
• 2 1⁄2 cups  orange juice
• 1  cup lemon juice
• 42  fluid ounces  7-Up soda
•  ice cube

Directions

1. Chill fruit juices and 7-Up.
2. Simmer water, sugar and cinnamon sticks together for 10 minutes.
3. Set aside for several hours to allow the mixture to develop the cinnamon spiced flavor.
4. Prior to serving time, remove the cinnamon sticks from the sugar syrup.
5. In a large punch bowl, combine the sugar syrup, cranberry juice, orange juice, and lemon juice.
6. Slowly pour in the 7-Up.
7. Add ice-cubes and garnish with lime slices if desired.