With planning season underway, it’s worth asking ‘Is our Christmas party as inclusive as it could be?’ Or is it perceived to be a big end-of-year boozy affair, which goes on till late and leaves some people making excuses not to go?
Remove the fear of exclusion….
Christmas parties can be loved and hated in equal measures for various reasons and whilst you can’t please everyone, you can take into consideration your employee’s preferences and sensitivities. After all, Christmas parties should be about celebrating the whole team and making everyone feel included, for example, whether they drink or not, a social gathering doesn’t have to revolve around alcohol.
Equally, finding a balance can be a good compromise, incorporating a selection of quality non-alcoholic and low-alcohol options will make for a much more inclusive event when it comes to drinks. If you’re offering a welcome drink, ensure there’s an alcohol-free version and at the other end of the scale you might also want to think about limiting the amount of free alcoholic drinks provided.
Times are changing!
As a mobile bar company, we have seen a rise in requests for non-alcoholic options across all of our events and not just during dry January! We’re not just talking tap water, fizzy pop or syrupy mixed juices!
At Sip ‘n’ Swig we pride ourselves on making pretty much all of our cocktails available in a non-alcoholic form, we use the same premium ingredients and expert techniques but simply use non-alcoholic spirits. From a taste perspective, it’s still an exciting drink experience – just without the alcohol. One of our favourite non-alcoholic spirits brands has to be Strykk, their ‘Not R*m’ makes a cracking daiquiri. We also love Lyres who have created a huge range of non alcoholic spirits which means we can swap out most of our alcoholic spirits.
We challenge you to taste the difference between our alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions! Our current popular seasonal cocktail is our ‘Spicy Mango Daiquiri’ which we have been making both alcoholic and non alcoholic.
It’s not all turkey and stuffing!
Alongside your drinks you may be offering food, so just make sure you’re catering for any specific dietary requirements your teams have, whether that’s allergies or preferences. By giving your caterers as much advance warning as possible of any additional requirements, it will allow them to tailor the perfect menu accordingly so that everyone gets to eat, drink and be safe.
Bringing everyone together
Let’s not forget that whilst the party is in full swing, some of our employees may be neurodiverse or have less visible disabilities, they may need the reassurance that a quieter space is available to take some time out from either the volume of people, the noise levels or bright lighting should they need to.
Time of day or night?
If a late-night party poses issues, why not organise an in-house non-alcoholic cocktail masterclass and learn how to make cocktails together? Guaranteed to be a giggle and to provide some Instagram worthy pictures! Additionally, considering the option of hiring a cocktail bar that specialises in non-alcoholic cocktails could be a great way to provide a fun experience for all employees.
Being open and upfront about how you’re addressing inclusivity with your teams could make the difference between someone attending or not attending, and as the old saying goes, ‘The more, the merrier’.
However you choose to celebrate Christmas with work colleagues this year, we would love to help you add a touch of class and, above all a bit of seasonal fun for everyone!
