Celebrate the Season with Reason

Another year has almost gone by and the Festive Season will soon be here. It’s the time when many people gather together with friends, family and co-workers to celebrate and enjoy time together. Parties and celebrations are the order of the day.

Great parties don’t just happen by chance. They’re the result of careful planning. If you are going to serve alcohol in your home or host an event where guests are drinking alcohol be sure you are also planning on getting your guests home safely.

I know you care about your friends, family and guests. As the host of the party you could be found legally responsible if any of your guests consume alcohol at your party and are then involved a traffic crash. And can you imagine how you would feel if your guest was involved in a serious motor vehicle collision? That would be devastating.

RRID’s goal is to save lives and reduce crashes. We are hoping that everyone will have a safe and happy holiday season. Once again we are offering some practical suggestions for being a responsible host. Suggestions we hope will help you to enjoy your party, knowing you’ve created a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere and that you have done all you can to keep everyone safe.

When you are planning your parties ensure that you plan ahead for rides home. You can make arrangements in advance with Operation Red Nose the designated driver program available on nine evenings in December in the Nanaimo area. You can even prearrange an account with the local taxi company for your special event. You can be prepared to have guests stay overnight if necessary.

Think about the kinds of food you will be serving throughout the event.  If people are enjoying food they are less likely to drink. High protein munchies are best, foods like chicken wings, cheese and guacamole. Avoid salty foods. Salt increases thirst and means your guests are likely to drink more.

You want to be able to offer guests an alternative to drinking alcohol and there are many choices available. It’s good to serve a variety of non-alcoholic beverages including tea, coffee, juice, soft drinks, bottled water and mocktails.  Mocktails are fun and refreshing party drinks that don’t contain alcohol. Some are simple but you can add fun to the drinks with fruit or fancy ice cubes. Be sure to offer your guests lots of appealing non-alcoholic choices. These will be popular with non-drinkers, designated drivers and those who are trying to limit their alcohol consumption.

There are lots of great recipes for mocktails both single drinks and punches. Most ingredients are probably right in your fridge. If not they can be found in local grocery stores. Some popular recipes are printed below.

As your guests arrive on the night of your party ensure they have safe transportation home before serving them alcohol. Did they bring their car? Do they have a designated driver? Are they traveling by taxi? Keep the number for Operation Red Nose and the taxi companies posted by your phone, Identify Designated Drivers and give them a small gift to let them know you appreciate their assistance.

Careful planning will allow you to have a wonderful time at your parties and festivities while making our roads and highways safer for everyone. Let’s work together to protect our guests, ourselves and others from the tragic consequences of impaired driving. Let’s celebrate the season with reason.

Joan Parsons
President
Rid Road of Impaired Drivers

Numbers to Know

Operation Red Nose

755-6969

AC Taxi

753-1231

Swiftsure Taxi

753-8911 or 758-8911

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