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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

NYE hosting - how much booze should I buy?

73 replies

putyourshoesonnow · 30/12/2023 15:59

I’m hosting dinner for 8 people on NYE. They are mostly middle aged, middle of the road drinkers (so quite thirsty!) Arriving at 8pm and obv staying til after midnight.
I don’t drink alcohol so I don’t want to overspend and end up with loads of leftovers. So what is the minimum I can get away with buying without being a kill-joy? Do I need to offer all of beer, red, white and fizz? Anything else? And how many bottles?

I’m thinking 8 beers, 2 white, 2 fizz (1 saved til midnight) and unlimited red (I have a rack full of that for when my Dad visits).

Is that enough? They’ve all known me for years and know that I don’t drink, so I suspect they’ll come armed with bottles as well.

YABU - Too little, you’re risking being a killjoy
YANBU - That’s enough, they can get stuck into the red if they’re desperate enough

OP posts:

grayhairdontcare · 30/12/2023 22:06

8 wine
2 fizz
24 beers
A few spirits and mixers

dancinginthewind · 30/12/2023 22:40

What's your financial situation? What's usual for this sort of event within this social group? We had 8 people for dinner recently and two courses plus nibbles cost us £200+ on food alone. Some of the drink suggestions being suggested could easily double that.
Is the expectation that you will provide an elaborate affair and your guests will grace you with their presence and a gift of their choosing or are you hosting as you're the one with a big enough table or who enjoys cooking or who is just organised enough to issue an invitation or who knew some friends couldn't afford to go out for NYE due to CoL and so invited them to yours? Or is it somewhere in the middle? Only if you're expected to provide an elaborate affair do you need to get the champagne, gin and liqueurs in. In any of the others, I'd send a message saying what you have got and make it clear that they can bring the rest.

Ohtobetwentytwo · 30/12/2023 22:49

Can you keep the receipt and return anything unopened and leftover for a refund? Just make sure you keep one of everything on the go so you dnt have loads of half used bottles. Then you can order loads, have lots of choice and not worry about everyone wanting the same thing.

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 30/12/2023 22:57

24-36 beers, 4 bottles of champagne , 6 white and 4 red. Then we’d also have gin and rum and mixers etc. probably some Baileys and some frangelico and some whiskey

DelilahBucket · 30/12/2023 23:02

Six adults at ours yesterday, all drinking for about six hours. We got through two full bottles of red plus half, three bottles of prosecco, 12 beers and a bottle of white.

Honeyandwine · 30/12/2023 23:04

I really think you should just say that you Will provide food and a couple of bottles of wine but please bring along anything else you'd like to drink.

determinedtomakethiswork · 30/12/2023 23:25

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 30/12/2023 22:57

24-36 beers, 4 bottles of champagne , 6 white and 4 red. Then we’d also have gin and rum and mixers etc. probably some Baileys and some frangelico and some whiskey

You can't expect her to pay for all that!

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 30/12/2023 23:46

determinedtomakethiswork · 30/12/2023 23:25

You can't expect her to pay for all that!

Show quote history

When I host, I host! That’s what we’ve got for tomorrow!

raspberrybeeret · 30/12/2023 23:52

Be more explicit in the message: I've got a few drinks in but please do bring your tipple of choice - as I don't drink haven't got loads in and don't want anyone to run dry on NYE! Bright and breezy but gives the signal you're not providing drinks all night.

Bbq1 · 30/12/2023 23:52

putyourshoesonnow · 30/12/2023 16:05

Thank you - I’m getting the message loud and clear!!!!

Maybe you can send them home we any leftover alcohol. Me abd dh don't drink but for drinkers I would but more thsn neccesary. It would be embarrassing if guests asked for another drink and you hsd run out.

Bonkerz · 30/12/2023 23:53

My small offering for New Year's Eve. Have about 8 bottles of wine too and lots of soft drinks.

NYE hosting - how much booze should I buy?

Theoldwoman · 30/12/2023 23:54

You shouldn’t be providing booze. Its always a BYO where I’m from.

Maddy70 · 30/12/2023 23:56

I would say unlimited wine and fizz and you're sorted. Opt for too much. It doesnt go to waste

Pumpkintopf · 30/12/2023 23:59

Most supermarkets will let you return excess booze unopened so that may be an option?

5foot5 · 31/12/2023 00:10

Doggymummar · 30/12/2023 16:06

I would say 6 beers per person and 1and a half bottles of wine pp plus gin vodka baileys port and mixers. 4 bottles of fizz and some soft drinks.

Fuck me!!

I thought I was a fairly big drinker but I am now feeling pretty good about myself if this is considered the norm!

determinedtomakethiswork · 31/12/2023 00:37

@Bbq1 so you think she should provide all the food, cook all the food, buy tons of alcohol and send them home with any spare alcohol?

Bbq1 · 31/12/2023 01:02

I didn't suggest that she should buy 'tons' of alcohol. I simply said should buy extra than she planned to. If she doesn't drink why would the Op want to keep the surplus (if any)? I'm assuming that she offered to host and wasn't forced into it ? She could also ask guests to bring a bottle and a plate if she doesn't want to cook/buy further alcohol.

Greengagesnfennel · 31/12/2023 10:27

I drink and host but I have family and friends who would always bring more alcohol each than they expect to drink. Then at the end of the night I always get everyone to take some of the leftover bottles home with them. Never been close to running out, ever.

I think what you suggested originally sounded fine. Except for the fizz. As host I think I would expect to provide that and you probably need and extra bottle or 2 of that. Rest sounds fine to me.

ssd · 31/12/2023 10:32

I think as you are hosting a meal, the amount of drink you have is fine. You've spent enough!! The people coming will know you dont drink so should be bringing their own. If they expect you to provide their drink as well they are CF of the first degree.

bookfit24 · 31/12/2023 10:32

I’ve got a similar number and have
3 red
5 white
2 fizz
20 beers (but am going to get some more as we’ve drunk some of them last night)
bottle of baileys
bottle of ameretto

If you want to keep cost down - I got all of that from Aldi and it came to about fifty quid.

I also expect most will bring wine. I’m skipping gin and vodka though but may grab some premixed cans (as don’t want it left in the house if no one drinks it).

Waitingfordoggo · 31/12/2023 10:41

I would provide some beer (maybe 24), and a few bottles of wine and fizz but my friends would all bring plenty of drinks for themselves.

I think it’s really rude to expect a teetotaller to provide a full range of drinks including various spirits. What is the OP supposed to do with leftovers of gin, whisky, vodka etc? I suppose she could give them to the guests to take home but that’s going to be a very expensive night as she is paying for the food too. It’s different if one has a fully stocked spirits cupboard and can offer guests a choice of drinks but it’s really unreasonable to expect someone who doesn’t drink to provide various spirits as well as wine and beer.

Franklet · 31/12/2023 10:46

This is a fascinating thread! So many different approaches. Seems like the convention varies a lot.

I would have said double the quantities you proposed (plus A/F drinks) but it wouldn't occur to me to lay on loads of spirits.

OP please come back tomorrow and tell us what you decided and how much you have left over! I hope you have a wonderful time 🥂

Trevorton · 31/12/2023 10:54

Most people have said you need to provide a lot more and I would say the same. Regards the leftovers, just keep them and when you get invited to someone’s for dinner you can take one or two bottles with you.

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