Combine the water and sugar in a small pan. Cook until the sugar has dissolved and then add the cranberries and cook on medium low heat until some of the cranberry skins just start to pop and water starts to barely turn pink; 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl and reserve the syrup. Remove half of the cranberries to use for the cocktails.

Place sugar (I love a large crystal cake decorating sugar) on a cookie sheet and gently put the remaining cranberries on the sugar and roll them until coated. Let them stand in a single layer at room temperature until dry, about 1 hour.

In a cocktail shaker, muddle the lightly cooked berries with the simple syrup and lemon juice. Add the vodka and orange juice and top with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into champagne flutes. Top with champagne and garnish with sugared cranberries.