Alcohol Optional

Some of my guests enjoy a good bottle of wine while some would prefer a nice cold beer. Others seem to be happier with a non-alcoholic drink. What is your preference for party-giving? Do you always serve alcohol at your parties? Does the type of party cause you to serve a different type of alcohol - wine for dinner parties, beer for barbeques etc. What’s a good option for a non-alcohol drink other than soda or iced tea?

The group of family and friends I have usually like their favorite alcoholic drinks, regardless of the occasion or type of party. The wine drinkers want wine, even during football games or bbqs, while the beer drinkers will simply drink beer in a frosty mug instead of straight from the can at a sit-down dinner party.

Non-alcoholic drinks that I think are fun to serve are “mocktails,” which are simply n/a versions of regular alcoholic drinks. Usually these fall into the fruity or ice cream category, such as skipping the peppermint liquor in a grasshopper and opting for peppermint flavoring instead or making a daiquiri without the alcohol.

HTH!

I like Amy’s mocktail idea for alcoholic alternatives.  They can be memorable in their own right.  I remember when my uncle would start making mixed drinks after Christmas dinner, he would make special “cocktails” for the kids.  It was really only Sprite with an orange slice and maraschino cherry on a toothpick floating in it, but it felt like we were getting a special drink treat for Christmas.

I think it’s a good idea to have several options so that there will be something for everyone, unless you know the preferences of everyone who will be attending. It’s definitely important to have alcohol-free options for the designated drivers in the group.

lol… hmmm… I’m wondering what it says about me if ALL my friends are drinkers…?  We always have booze at our parties!  Sometimes too much.

My husband and I are non-drinkers.. however, it all depends on the party. If it’s a kids’ birthday party, we feel there is no need for alcohol there… but if we are hosting a Thanksgiving party, etc. we do purchase wine for dinner for our guests. It all depends on the situation.

We ALWAYS have booze for a kids party.  How else would we get through them?

Kidding! Drinking and being surrounded by crazy, screaming kids?  Not a good combo.

-Karen

I thought of another suggestion for non-alcoholic drinks.  Sparkling juices can be a really festive choice, especially when they come in the glass bottles reminiscent of champagne bottles. My non-drinking friends make a point of buying some sparkling grape juice when we get together for New Year’s so we don’t have to miss out on having a midnight toast.  Even if it’s not New Year’s Eve, I find that the carbonation adds a fun kick to standard fruit juices.  Depending on your tastes, there’s everything from sparkling lemonade to sparkling cranberry juice in bottles.  You can also make your own by adding some seltzer or clear soda to your choice of juice.