As we all know by now, we are in the midst of a global pandemic. Public health officials are advising that we scale back the number of people at our holiday gatherings in order to keep people safe and to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus in our communities.
As we plan our much-smaller dinners and holiday parties, we still need to be mindful of the fact that – for many people – holiday spirits do not come from a bottle.
Nearly half of all Americans do not drink alcohol on regular basis, according to the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
In 2019, 50.8 percent of Americans reported drinking alcohol in the past month (National Survey on Drug Use and Health). In other words, 49.2 percent of people do not regularly drink.
There are many reasons why people chose not to drink.
Despite their sizeable numbers, these non-drinkers are often overlooked at holiday gatherings where the only truly appealing beverage choices contain alcohol. These non-drinkers want choices beyond soft drinks and bottled water.
Unfortunately, many party planners go through their guest lists determining who prefers what alcoholic beverage.
This holiday season, we ask that you consider your non-drinking guests who still want something tasty but non-alcoholic.
There are lots of festive “mocktail” drinks that will show your guests that you made a special effort to provide beverages that appeal to everyone.
Below are some suggestions for mocktails:
Orange Oasis 1 cup frozen OJ concentrate 1 cup milk 1 cup water 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup ice Blend until smooth.
Cranberry Cooler 16 oz. cranberry juice 4 oz. lemon juice 8 oz. ginger ale Pour ingredients in a tall glass with ice and serve. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
Sparkling Punch
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 cup orange juice
juice of two lemons
juice of two limes
11 oz. sparkling water
Mix all ingredients in a pitcher. Pour over ice cubes made of sparkling water.
Orange Fizz 16 oz. orange juice 4 oz. sour mix 8 oz. club soda Mix and pour in a tall glass with ice. Garnish with a slice of orange.
New Year's Eve Kiss Pour 2 oz. passion fruit juice in a champagne flute. Fill with club soda.
Designated Driver's Delight 8 oz. orange juice 4 oz. pineapple juice 4 oz. cranberry juice 3-4 scoops vanilla ice cream 3-4 frozen strawberries Mix in a blender until smooth. Garnish with an orange slice and a strawberry.
The Enforcer Fresh brewed coffee Whipped cream Chocolate sprinkles Sugar cubes Cinnamon Pour coffee into a mug and stir in 2 sugar cubes and a dash of cinnamon. Top with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.
Mai Tai 8 oz. pineapple juice 4 oz. club soda 4 oz. orange juice 2 tbsp. grenadine 2 tbsp. cream of coconut Stir to blend and serve over crushed ice.
Frosty Mocha 1/2 gal. chocolate ice cream, softened 8 cups coffee, chilled 1 pint half & half 1 tsp. almond extract 1/8 tsp. salt 1 square semi-sweet chocolate, grated 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon Mix ice cream and 3 cups coffee until smooth. In punch bowl, stir ice cream mixture, half & half, almond extract, salt and 5 cups coffee until blended. Sprinkle top with grated chocolate and cinnamon.
Mistletoe Punch 1 6-oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate 1 6-oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate 6 cups water 1/2 cup grenadine syrup 1 quart ginger ale Combine all the ingredients, except last two, in a punch bowl. Just before serving, add some ice cubes and gently stir in the ginger ale. Garnish with lemon slice and maraschino cherry.
