Planning a Safe Party

During wonderful occasions, we find time to get together with family and friends. Everyone loves a good party. They are most often fun and festive occasions and remembered with fondness and nostalgia.

Good food and “cheery” beverages are usually served, but too many “cheery” alcoholic beverages can lead to tragedy rather than joy. When the party ends and guests depart, something like an alcohol-related traffic accident may happen. Alcohol usually makes short tempers and sensitive moods causing blood pressures to shoot high. Here are some tips if you are going to serve alcoholic drinks at your party to help you and your friends enjoy without an unhappy ending.

• Always serve food high in protein and carbohydrates with the “cheery” drink. Cheese and meats are especially good. They stay in the stomach longer thus slowing the rate at which the body absorbs alcohol.

• For your alcoholic punch, use a non-carbonated base, such as fresh fruit juice. The body absorbs alcohol faster when mixed with carbonation.

• Do not force drinks on your guests or push to refill glass when empty. Some guests may not wish to appear rude and will accept drinks they do not really want. And, of course, you should also have a good supply of non-alcoholic beverages. Many of your guests may not want to drink alcohol.

• Stop serving alcohol about two hours before the party is over. Guests then have time for their bodies to absorb the alcohol consumed. During such time, you can then serve coffee or other non-alcoholic beverages as well as food.

• Be sure guests who are drinking alcoholic beverages will not be driving home. If he has no designated driver who has not drunk, and if he insists on driving himself, take his car keys away from him. Let the guest who is still feeling “merry” sleep it off on your couch and not on the road.

• If you think a guest is drinking too much, here are some things you can do. Engage him in conversation to slow him down. Give him high protein food. For the next drink, give him something with less alcohol – mix it with non-carbonated base. Remember, not coffee and not a cold shower will sober a drunk person. Only time can do that.=)