‘Tis the season for holiday parties!
And what a fun season it is, especially when you’re hosting the festivities.
As you’re getting your apartment ready for guests, whipping up some amazing appetizers in the kitchen, stocking the bar and putting together the perfect party playlist, don’t forget about your VIP guests.
I’m talking, of course, about the designated drivers.
They’re the real life of the party.
I like to treat designated drivers like rockstars by setting up a special bar stocked with an assortment of tasty non-alcoholic drinks that are just as fun and festive as the beer, wine and cocktails I’m serving my other guests.
It’s such an easy thing to do, and it shows the designated drivers you value their decision not to drink so other guests can stay safe.
When you’re shopping for party food, swing by the soda aisle and pick up some root beer, ginger beer and sparkling cider. You’ll find a good selection at your grocery store and even at big box stores and convenience stores.
I also like to shop at specialty grocery stores, because they stock lots of different types of sodas and juices in interesting bottles. You’ll usually find these drinks, sold in singles, in the store’s cooler or deli area.
For my designated driver bar, I look for beverages that have beer or wine in their name, like Cheerwine, which is made here in North Carolina.
Or I search for drinks that look like fun, fruity cocktails, like mimosas or cosmopolitans. This year, at Walmart, I found some non-alcoholic Sangria, bellini and strawberry daiquiri drinks that will be perfect for my holiday get-togethers.
I also pay attention to the bottles. I’m looking for pretty, curvy and interesting!
At my local specialty grocery store, I found a water bottle shaped like a flask. How cool is that? It’s perfect for a holiday party, like New Year’s Eve.
On the day of your party, putting together your designated driver bar is easy.
Use a tray and gather all the beverages together, along with an ice bucket, cocktail napkins, an assortment of glasses and a bottle opener. Be sure to include some extras like orange and lemon wedges, cocktail picks and stirrers.
If space is tight, don’t worry. You can set your bar up on the kitchen counter or on a piece of furniture. A sideboard or a coffee table is a great choice!
Instead of a tray, you can also turn a metal box or suitcase into a cooler.
Fill with ice and nestle bottles inside. Just be sure to protect your furniture from water spots by placing something under the cooler.
I think it’s important to designate this bar space for designated drivers. So I made a sign with a quote about designated drivers: “A designated driver helps you party another day.” How true!
I also made special glass charms for the designated drivers! I just added some metal letter charms to some tinsel and twisted them around the stems of the glass.
“DD” is short for “designated driver,” of course!
Setting up a special drink station for designated drivers isn’t just good manners, it’s also good sense. Depending on which state you live in, you could be held legally responsible if someone who was drinking at your party is involved in a car crash or if you serve alcohol to someone underage.
With a setup like this, all your guests might choose the booze-free bar.
If you need more help setting up a party bar, check out this article on the ForRent.com blog on how to throw a New Year’s Eve bar cart party.
And be sure to read up on how to throw a responsible party that won’t get you evicted or in trouble with your neighbors and landlord.