Anyone else having a booze free christmas?

[bitterandtwisted349]

Me & booze no longer see eye to eye (well for the past 15yrs really) and OH is fitness and health fanatic who also gets acid from the wild stuff.

To be honest, sounds brilliant to me, less expense, no ikey mornings and bloated stomachs.

Yes, there will be wine on the table on Christmas day but that's it!

Any recommendations on refreshing drinks that arent too sweet?

[Ragwort]

On the (rare) occasions that I don't drink wine I quite like low calories ginger ale - sometimes add a bit of fresh orange juice to make a 'mocktail'. .

That posh pink raspberry lemonade is nice, can't think of the make (Waitrose sell it ) - might be Belvoir?

[AnathemaIsANiceNameForAGirl]

We just have sparkling apple or Shloer. I also like to get special Christmas tea, coffee and hot chocolate,

Alcohol-free here and happy . I see everyone loading up their trolleys with booze at Christmas and think it must cost an absolute bomb - more money for us to spend on delicious food

[WiseKneeHair]

We have a bottle of champagne with dinner, between 3 of us, but that's usually it as we aren't particularly big drinkers.
This year, I am on call so won't even be having that!
I like elderflower cordial if I'm having non- alcoholic drinks.

[chillychicken]

Will have a new baby so will probably indulge in a glass of champagne and that's it.

Sparkling water with a hint of elderflower gets my vote everytime.

[Mummyboo30]

You can get some lovely alternatives to wine, such as Amé, which is alcohol free elderflower, or maybe a non-alcoholic mulled wine?
Also, it might be worth looking up some Virgin Christmassy cocktails on Pinterest, so you can feel somewhat festive with it.
I'm not a big boozer myself, although I don't think christmas would be the same without Baileys!

[snowmanshoes]

I've just picked up some glitterberries J20 from Morrisons (half price for a pack of 4! too) Love these and the glitter makes it all a bit Christmassy! I am the designated driver this year as we are having our dinner at my mums so I will be just drinking those and hazelnut hot chocolates! I don't drink masses either but will indulge in the odd 'snowball' and glass of wine on Christmas Eve.

[PurplePidjin]

My ILs are teetotal, MIL usually knocks something up involving fruit juice and something fizzy like ginger beer

[insanityscratching]

We're teetotal here, well dh and I are, adult dc drink alcohol outside of the house. We tend to have juices, flavoured water in year round and so drink the same at Christmas.

[DealForTheKids]

We had to have a teetotal Xmas last year as DF was on antibiotics and DM thought he'd struggle if we were drinking and he wasn't, so forced encouraged my younger sister and I to follow suit.

To be honest it wasn't my sort of thing but if you're happy then I'm jealous - you'll save loads of money and feel far better then me! Plus I'm sure lots of my christmas 'weight' is actually booze bloat.

Anyway, last year we drank lots of Appletizer and we had the pink raspberry lemonade Ragwort mentions - was deffo from Waitrose but can't remember the brand.

[Galaxymum]

DH and I don't drink - it's not a big deal to me. It isn't part of my life but a lot of people do look at me oddly when I say I'm actually happy just having a coffee or Diet Coke. I stopped drinking in my last year at uni. DH has never enjoyed drink so doesn't.

I am always first on a dance floor anyway!

[JoanHickson]

I rarely drink, though for different reasons to you. IKea do a great alcohol free mulled wine type drink.

[duckbilled]

I really enjoy a mix of raspberry and cranberry juice with low calorie ginger ale. I do drink but I prefer a glass of wine and then on to the soft stuff....too old for a hangover!

[5446]

The flavoured San Pellegrinos are really nice. If you can find it, the Bundaberg Lemon Lime Bitters is amazing!

[MsAspreyDiamonds]

Duchy Originals sparkling Apple drink, can't remember actual name. Duchy originals also do a few nice posh soft drinks.

[bitterandtwisted349]

Yeah, Fentimans do the real lemonades etc and Sainsburys TTD do sort of copies. I find though one glass is enough as too sweet.

Liking the elderflower idea.

[Riverland]

Have any of you tried alcohol free wine? I was looking online at some the other day and wondering about it for Christmas day.

[IssyStark]

rivet the only alcohol free wine I have ever found palatable is the Torres white. The Reds you get tend to be sweet which is not what I want in a red.
Beer wise Becks alcohol free is actuly rather good and we drink it frequently even 'though we're paid up CAMRA members!

[Dinnerfor1]

We will be alcohol free this year as I'm pregnant and dh is tee-total. To be honest, we don't really miss it.

I enjoy elderflower cordial with sparkling water. I've also bought a couple of bottles of ikeas non-alcoholic mulled wine to try. I also like things like Appletizer and Ame but they might be too sweet.

[BelfastBloke]

The Alcohol-Free shop online is very good. That's what you need to avoid all the quite sweet stuff like Ame and Elderflower.

www.alcoholfree.co.uk/red-wine-c-2_46_14.html?osCsid=bd844a4ae715156f6c3af9b3e577ab77

The beers are better than the wines.

Wines taste quite thin because it's the alcohol which gives a wine its body. If you're eating as well as drinking, the thinness isn't so noticeable.

My favourite AF wines are the Weinkonig ones, even though some of the other brands look like they would be better.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Alcohol free here (though I don't call myself Tee
Total because I use alcohol in my Christmas cake and marzipan)

Fentimans Ginger Beer is lovely
I bought some champagne flavourers for DD (5 bottles from Lakeland, fruit flavoured. She can add to fruit juice and sparkling water to make 'mocktails' )

I like Appletise in a wine glass to look glam (I wish it was that easy)

I bought a Babycham gift set- 2 small bottles and 2 glasses , primarily for the glasses (with the cute baby deer)

chilled sparkling water (we have a Soda Stream ) with some lime cordial, slice of lemon and ice.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Even though I don't drink, I'm going to venture off to a nice beer shop in London to buy some for DH

[siblingrevelryagain]

Sainsburys pink grapefruit high juice with sparkling water.

Lime & soda/sparkling water

[Riverland]

Thankyou for the alcohol free wine and beer ideas. I don't like sweet drinks, and couldn't countenance a sweet drink alongside a meal. Ordering the Weinkonig to try!

Intrigued to hear ikea has alcohol free mulled wine, too. I do love mulled wine at Christmas... Does heating the wine remove the alcohol content, anyhow?

[Mrsgrumble]

Dh is a non drinker and I will be breastfeeding so drinking unlikely

[BelfastBloke]

Let me know what you think when you try the wines?