Are you feeling pressured by the social norm of drinking alcohol during the holidays? A sober holiday party may be just the thing to help make the season more enjoyable. A sober holiday party can appeal to people from all walks of life. However, you may find one especially appealing if you’re struggling with alcohol-related problems.
If you’re looking to host your own alcohol-free holiday, don’t forget the mocktails! These non-alcoholic beverages can not only help you and your guests maintain sobriety. They can also contribute to the odds that your well-planned event will be a success. Keep reading to explore some potential mocktail ideas.
Is a Sober Holiday Gathering Right for You?
Millions of Americans struggle with problematic alcohol use. If this is true for you or a loved one, an alcohol-free holiday party may make obvious sense. After all, a great way to avoid drinking is to exclude alcohol from the equation entirely.
But there are also other reasons for making your celebration an alcohol-free zone. For example, even if you drink, you might not feel happy emphasizing alcohol use. You may also know in advance that some of your guests are affected by drinking problems. In addition, such problems may exist even if you don’t know about them. Other considerations may also affect your desire to avoid serving alcohol.
Top Mocktail Ideas for Common Cocktails
There are untold thousands of alcohol-based cocktails in the world. Some of these drinks have a close association with the holiday season. Others are consumed throughout the year. One idea for your mocktail menu is to create alcohol-free versions of these cocktails. Need help narrowing down your selection? Some of the top mocktails of this type include:
- Non-alcoholic, store-bought, or homemade eggnog
- Margaritas that substitute light-colored juices for tequila
- Sangrias that substitute darker-colored juices for wine
- Club soda-based gimlets
If you’re pressed for time, consider serving premade, non-alcoholic champagne.
Mocktail Ideas That Stray From Traditional Cocktails
When you hear the word mocktail, you may immediately think of direct substitutes for traditional cocktails. However, you don’t have to restrict yourself to these kinds of drinks. You also have the option to include drinks not meant to mimic classic cocktails. For example, consider serving drinks that are based on fruit or have fruit in their recipes. Types of these drinks include such things as:
- Punches
- Sodas
- Teas
- Lemonade
You can also try drinks that include flower- or herb-based flavors such as lavender or mint.
Outsource Your Mocktail Ideas as Part of Your Sober Party Plan
Don’t feel compelled to come up with all of your mocktail ideas on your own. When you send out invitations, ask your guests for their favorites. You can take the idea of outsourcing even further. As part of your planning, ask your guests if they’re willing to bring their own mocktails to your celebration. This potluck approach can add a new, exciting element to the occasion. It can also help ensure that a wide variety of alcohol-free options are available.
Turn to Women’s Recovery for Professional Help During the Holidays
In the best of circumstances, you may need help coping with your drinking urges. And during the holidays, maintaining sobriety can seem difficult or impossible. At these times, remember that high-quality treatment for alcohol problems is available.
At Women’s Recovery, we specialize in providing this high standard of care for women with drinking problems. Our goal is to help you set realistic goals for recovery and meet those goals as you make progress in treatment. To boost your odds for success, we rely on customized plans focused on you as an individual. For more information, call us today at 833.754.0554. You can also fill out our brief online form.
