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Be A Responsible Host

This page was reviewed or revised on Wednesday, September 08, 2010 3:41 PM

Everyone likes to share good times with family and friends, and many times alcohol is part of the fun. As a good host your role goes beyond planning a fun evening for family and friends. If alcohol is served, ensure the event comes to a safe and happy ending by monitoring your guests’ actions and behaviours. Something as simple as a fight or a fall, or something more serious like a crash, can ruin the fun.

 As a guest, you have a responsibility too. Overdrinking can ruin a good time for others very easily. You can be the ‘life of the party’ or the ‘joke of the party.’

When planning, consider a party with no alcohol, but if alcohol is served, here are some tips to help you host a safe and enjoyable party:

  1. NEVER serve alcohol to guests under the legal drinking age.
  2. Offer non-alcoholic beverages. Try recipes listed below or click here for Sarnia-Lambton Mocktail Guide (PDF).
  3. NEVER let your friends drive after drinking; use a designated driver; tell guests to leave their cars at home; call a cab and offer to pay; offer a place to stay.
  4. Don’t have an open bar.
  5. Do not force drinks on guests.Have high protein food available. Food slows the absorption of alcohol.
  6. Avoid risky activities while drinking, i.e. swimming, boating, skiing, sledding, etc.
  7. Plan activities so drinking is not the main focus.
  8. Stop serving alcohol at least one (1) hour before the party stops.
  9. Only time reduces affects of alcohol.

Non-alcoholic alternatives:


Toronto Island Iced Tea
6 oz. iced tea
2 oz. raspberry or other fruit juice
Squirt of lemon ice – lots of it!
Mix & enjoy!

Homerun
4 oz. Tom Collins Punch
4 oz. fruit punch
2 oz. Sprite
Add crushed ice; shake well.
Garnish with orange slice and cherry.

Bloody Shame
1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 tsp. seasoned salt dash
freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup V-8 or tomato juice
Dash of Tabasco sauce
Mix lime juice, Worcestershire Sauce, seasoned salt, pepper together until salt is dissolved.
Add the V-8 tomato juice and mix.
Add Tabasco.
Pour over ice and garnish with celery stick to stir.

Arrive Alive Sunrise
3/4 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tbsp. honey (optional)
2 tsp. lemon juice
3 ice cubes
Combine all ingredients in a blender.
Blend until all ice is well crushed.
Garnish and serve at once. 

Fruit Smoothie
1 litre skim milk
2 ripe bananas
1 cup frozen strawberries (sweetened or unsweetened)
Combine ingredients in blender or food processor and whip until smooth.

Adapted from material supplied by the Ontario Community Council on Impaired Driving and Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, an agency of the Government of Alberta
 

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