Planning the Perfect Holiday Party
Issue date: 12/28/08 Section: For Your Entertainment
(ARA) - 'Tis the season for planning the perfect holiday celebrations with family, friends and coworkers, and many hosts are thinking ahead to decide what food to serve, what music to play and what decorations to hang. If you're inviting guests over for a party, follow these simple tips to promote responsible holiday revelry and help everyone have a safe, enjoyable time:
1. When serving alcohol beverages, serve food.
Offer a variety of good foods with your alcohol beverages.
2. Offer non-alcohol beverages.
Have something for everyone: soft drinks, coffee and other non-alcohol beverages, such as O'Doul's and 180 Energy Drink brands.
3. Serve each guest one drink at a time.
Spacing drinks throughout a party can help your guests stay within their personal limits. Never force drinks on anyone. If serving wine, do not keep refreshing unfinished glasses as this makes it difficult for guests to keep track of how much they're drinking.
4. Serve "measured" drinks.
Beer and flavored malt beverages contain 4.2 to 6 percent alcohol by volume and come in standard-size packages, so it's easy to keep track of how much you are drinking. Hard liquor drinks can have dramatically different amounts of alcohol, as well as calories and carbohydrates. Many factors contribute to these wide variances: brands of liquor used, alcohol by volume in brands chosen, drink recipe, mixers and bartender's pouring preferences.
If you choose to serve hard liquor, use a shot glass or jigger to avoid making drinks too strong. If serving wine, remember not to use oversized glasses.
5. Consider how different types of alcohol are consumed.
The amount of time during which an alcohol beverage is consumed greatly impacts how alcohol is absorbed into the body. Beer is widely recognized as a beverage of moderation. Even though a 12 ounce beer may contain the same amount of alcohol as a 1 1/2 ounce shot of 80-proof liquor, a beer is enjoyed leisurely, while a shot is usually consumed in one swallow.
1. When serving alcohol beverages, serve food.
Offer a variety of good foods with your alcohol beverages.
2. Offer non-alcohol beverages.
Have something for everyone: soft drinks, coffee and other non-alcohol beverages, such as O'Doul's and 180 Energy Drink brands.
3. Serve each guest one drink at a time.
Spacing drinks throughout a party can help your guests stay within their personal limits. Never force drinks on anyone. If serving wine, do not keep refreshing unfinished glasses as this makes it difficult for guests to keep track of how much they're drinking.
4. Serve "measured" drinks.
Beer and flavored malt beverages contain 4.2 to 6 percent alcohol by volume and come in standard-size packages, so it's easy to keep track of how much you are drinking. Hard liquor drinks can have dramatically different amounts of alcohol, as well as calories and carbohydrates. Many factors contribute to these wide variances: brands of liquor used, alcohol by volume in brands chosen, drink recipe, mixers and bartender's pouring preferences.
If you choose to serve hard liquor, use a shot glass or jigger to avoid making drinks too strong. If serving wine, remember not to use oversized glasses.
5. Consider how different types of alcohol are consumed.
The amount of time during which an alcohol beverage is consumed greatly impacts how alcohol is absorbed into the body. Beer is widely recognized as a beverage of moderation. Even though a 12 ounce beer may contain the same amount of alcohol as a 1 1/2 ounce shot of 80-proof liquor, a beer is enjoyed leisurely, while a shot is usually consumed in one swallow.
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