Jamaica Gleaner

We wish you a sober Christmas!

Alcohol consumptio­n tips for the Yuletide season

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AHUGE part of the merriness of Christmas is the numerous opportunit­ies it presents to party and have some drinking fun with relatives and friends. When the jingle bells are ringing and the Christmas breeze is caressing the moment, it’s pretty easy to get carried away and over-indulge in the hard stuff. Like your neighbourh­ood friend, we’ve got you! Check out these tips on how to consume alcohol responsibl­y over the Yuletide season.

AHEAD OF TIME

Encourage the appointmen­t of designated drivers who will remain sober at the party and who will escort your guests home after the festivitie­s have ended.

If the party is at your place, here’s an idea – hold on to everybody’s keys until you’re sure they’re sober enough to drive home. Place the keys in a safe area where only you can access them. Consider taxi fare. Having available cash ready to pay for a taxi for an overly intoxicate­d guest reduces the stress on you. If you can’t afford it, have your guests contribute towards the fund.

WHILE SERVING

We’re sure you’re well aware but we will say it anyway – don’t serve alcohol to minors, duh. And don’t place alcoholic beverages in proximity to each other. Same-colour drinks can be confusing.

Don’t force drinks on your guests, and don’t rush to refill their glasses. Additional­ly, always serve food with alcohol.

Offer water, coffee or non-alcoholic spacers between drinks, and stop serving alcohol one hour before the party ends. Know and watch for likely signs of visible intoxicati­on. Count the number of drinks, not glasses, each guest has. Serve one drink per person at

a time.

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