Viva Vitality: Holiday Hosting this Festive Season
By Michelle Sauvé
Gatherings with friends and family to celebrate the holidays? Maybe you’re hosting this year. There are a few things to think about before the big event. Maybe you’ve never really thought about it before but how will alcohol fit, if at all, in your planning?
For many of us, alcohol is a part of our celebrations. We want our guests to enjoy themselves, but we also want to make sure everyone gets home safe. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
You may want to consider going alcohol free if your guests include children and young people. For these occasions, you could shift the focus on fun to your younger guests. Creating memories by making holiday crafts, playing cooperative games or engaging in outdoor winter activities such as tobogganing or skating are all great options for a child-friendly event.
If you do choose to serve alcohol, make sure there's a responsible adult looking out for your younger guests. Keeping alcohol out of reach of children. And remember, children are watching and learning from you on how to socialize. Consider if games or activities that are centered around alcohol are the right choice for your gathering.
If you are including alcohol in your holiday party, it’s important to have a plan for how your guests will get home safely. Having a basket for keys is one strategy to encourage those who will be drinking to think about their plan before they begin to consume alcohol. You can arrange to call cabs, offer to drive people home or make room for overnight guests. Keep in mind that walking home can be a risky choice if someone is under the influence, especially if they are alone. Cold weather and ice combined with alcohol consumption could increase the chances of injury.
Put the focus of your party on fun rather than alcohol. Make sure you have activities planned: board games, a gift exchange, charades, or karaoke. It’s also a good idea to ensure you serve high protein foods like cheeses, meats, and raw vegetables with dip to help delay alcohol absorption.
When serving alcohol, measure the drinks. In Canada, a standard drink is 17.05 milliliters or 13.45 grams of pure alcohol. This is the equivalent of: a bottle of beer (5% alcohol), a bottle of cider (5% alcohol), a glass of wine (5 oz., 12% alcohol), or a shot glass of spirits (1.5 oz., 40% alcohol). Don’t rush to refill guests’ glasses and don’t force drinks on your guests. Keep your snack trays stocked and encourage guests to drink non-alcoholic beverages available throughout your party. Remember, some of your guests may not drink alcohol for medical or religious reasons. Others may be working on recovery or in sobriety.
In 2023, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction released Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health. Science is evolving, and the recommendations about alcohol use are changing. We now know that even a small amount of alcohol can be damaging to health. That’s why if you drink, it’s better to drink less.
It's important to note that there are circumstances when no alcohol use is safest. For example, when pregnant, driving a motor vehicle, using machinery and tools, taking medicine or other drugs that interact with alcohol, doing any kind of dangerous physical activity, being responsible for the safety of others, and making important decisions.
You can learn more about alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs at https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/dsa/Page12491.aspx.
Wishing you a healthy, happy holiday season!
Michelle Sauvé is a health promotion facilitator in Tobacco and Nicotine Resource with Recovery Alberta.