Five at-home festive party ideas for when you choose not to drink

Choosing not to drink at a party doesn't mean you can't sip on something fun. And when you're entertaining it's always a great idea to provide another option for your similarly inclined mates and fam that's not just a soft drink. Gordon's 0.0% is where it's at when you want to titillate your tastebuds with juniper-led botanicals without the alcohol. It's best enjoyed in a frosty tall glass (or get out your fanciest party-ready stemware) with 50ml of Gordon’s 0.0% over ice, topped with tonic and finished with a wedge of lime.

For some extra Yuletide flair try subbing out the alcohol with Gordon's 0.0% in a Santa-esque red Ruby Cooler for the whole party. Get some seasonal garnishes like pomegranate, fresh mint and plump raspberries on hand and give this recipe a whirl:

Ingredients

50ml Gordon's 0.0%
100ml cranberry juice
Top up with ginger ale
Ice cubes
Festive garnish (fresh pomegranate, mint, raspberries)

Method

Fill a tall glass with lots of ice, pour over your Gordon's 0.0% and the cranberry juice, then top up with ginger ale. Garnish with pops of pomegranate seeds, fresh raspberries on the rim or sprigs of summery mint.

Much is written of matching wines to a menu but if you're planning on skipping the vinos this year you'll be pleased to know you can still cater a pairing experience. Gordon's 0.0% contains delightfully complex tasting notes of juniper, coriander and citrus with slightly woody undertones. Building a festive feast around those flavours is a breeze – you'll get to use all the seasonal summer produce on hand and traditional Christmas flavours too.

Harness the zesty blast of those first sips with a moreish salty and smokey charcuterie board. Set a fire under your guest's appetite with the best prosciutto, mortadella and sopressa you can get your hands on, and bring out the woody undertones of Gordon's 0.0% with some Dutch smoked cheddar and a wedge of gooey camembert. For the main event you can lean in to coriander, citrus and lingering juniper notes with a caramelised lamb roast, sizzling prawn skewers with lashings of lime, crunchy roast potatoes and zesty salads. For plant preferring guests pop a Suzy Spoon festive roast on the table and prepare for the meat eaters to try to pinch some. And of course, make sure you have loads of fruity and fresh desserts for afters, a passionfruit-loaded pav or a lemon meringue pie will harmonise perfectly with your Gordon's 0.0% serve.

What's a festive party without the exchanging of wrapped goods? Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, receiving and giving presents are a universally good feeling. Make the gifting experience zero fuss with a set budget Kris Kringle, tell your mates to bring a gender neutral gift for under $50 and let the fun begin. Add everyone's name to a hat and let them choose from the pile. 

Be sure to buy a few bottles of Gordon's 0.0% to giveaway to curious guests. The fetching bottle makes it a spot-on Chrissy gift but it's also suitable for mates and fam who celebrate Hannukah, Kwanzaa and beyond. Add a Gordon's 0.0% four pack treat to a farewell goodie bag or save one for the work pressie pool and tick all the boxes of appropriateness.  

You're going to want to prep some icebreaking games and activities if you want to keep the festive feels flowing. Top up the gang's Gordon's 0.0% and tonic and open up some table conversation with Flex Mami's thought provoking card game, Reflex. Or keep your guests on their toes by firing up a round of trivia. You can make your own fun quiz based on the year's events, super-specific facts about your friends and family or on your fave films and TV shows. 

Burning off your giant feast with something more physical is always a good idea. Dust off the wickets in the garage and follow the age-old tradition of a round of backyard cricket. Crack open some gifts and you're bound to find a totem tennis or finska in there to set up. 

Take your booze free festivities to the next level with a marathon of movies. Set up a projector, screen (or sheet) and comfy cushions in the backyard for your very own outdoor cinema experience. Or bliss out on the couch with your nearest and dearest cradling leftover lamb or prawns on soft rolls with loads of mayo in one hand and a Gordons 0.0% and tonic in the other.

Fire up Netflix for The Holiday, Last Christmas, Elf and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Navigate through Stan to find the Bing Crosby original White Christmas or the scathing family series A Moody Christmas. And borrow a Binge login to get into Joe Swanberg’s mumblecore staple Happy Christmas and not one but four intensely relaxing River Cottage Christmas specials.

Find out more about getting the best of both worlds with Gordon’s 0.0% Alcohol Free.

Always remember to drink responsibly.