Holiday Entertaining with a Mocktail Bar

When planning holiday parties, many of us invest time in finding the perfect wine to go with the food we’re serving. However, for those guests who don’t imbibe, we sheepishly hand them a can of soda, embarrassed that we didn’t plan better.This year, why not set up a Mocktail Bar? It’s fun for everyone attending your celebrations, including those who won’t be drinking, as well as any youngsters. 

First, you’ll need to set up kid-friendly drinkware, or for more elegant parties, glassware. Don’t forget colorful bendy straws, cocktail stirrers, and skewers for fruit. A couple of days before the party, you can make ice cubes from water or fruit juice using fun-shaped or mini ice cube molds.

Then, prepare bowls of cut-up fruit like pineapple, apples, and oranges. If you don’t have time to cut and chop, head to the salad section of your supermarket for pre-cut fruit! It’s also great to stock the bar with other mocktail goodies, such as berries and cherries, mint leaves, and slices of lemon and lime.

Finally, finish setting up your mocktail bar with the most important part – the mixers! Make sure have plenty of sparkling water and cider, along with a variety of juices like orange, pineapple, guava, pomegranate, and grape. For better-for-you drinks, look for 100% fruit juice and avoid those with added sugar.

Now that your mocktail bar is ready, print out some simple recipe ideas to encourage your guests to get creative with their own. You could also prepare a tray of your own favorite mocktails or make a pitcher of ready-to-pour mock sangria.

Once you’re set-up, make yourself a mocktail to kick-off the festivities, and enjoy! My dad always made mocktails for the kids during family celebrations, so who knows, maybe a Mocktail Bar will become a new tradition during at your home, too. Happy celebrating!