Photo Credit: Anée Atelier

Networking is a tough job, and refreshments are necessary to keep everyone’s energy levels high. Good event planners know not to provide not just any old boring food and drink. They carefully consider the needs of each event and plan the menu appropriately, including the time of year that the event is held. Many corporate events choose to go alcohol-free. Fortunately, there are plenty of mock cocktails or “mocktails” that will bring a unique twist to your event any time of the year. Here are our favorite ideas for creative mocktails for any seasonal holiday event.

1. Winter

   Winter events might include office holiday parties, or January goal-setting events. The cold weather evokes feelings of Christmas carols, warm ski lodges and freshly fallen snow. The great thing about winter is that both cold and hot drinks can be equally enjoyable. For something cool, try a mock mulled wine. The rich spice of cinnamon and cloves give a wintry taste to this cool drink. For a drink that really warms you up, we like the classic hot toddy with its buttery taste. The key is to create a beverage that is rich and spicy, to warm up guests for hours of networking.

2. Spring

   Once spring hits, you may feel like taking a lighter approach to your corporate event. Outdoor venues are possible again, and you might be hosting your event around holidays like Easter or St. Patrick’s Day. Opt for light, refreshing mocktails that have a spring-like feel. Color is just as important as flavor, so clear or pastel-colored drinks are ideal for spring. Berry-flavoured drinks are a great choice, like a blueberry “mojito” or a minty berry mocktail. For something really unique, try a ginger rose fizz with rose syrup and real flower petals. These are cocktails that will truly put a “spring” in the step of your guests.

3. Summer

   Summertime might call to mind summer holidays, but businesses never go on vacation and you will still have many opportunities for conferences, meetings and other events. Although we don’t recommend holding meetings on the beach (too much sand), you can bring a beach-like feel to your event’s refreshments. A mock sangria is a refreshing summery choice for a drink, with grape or cranberry juice replacing the red wine. Citrus-y drinks are also a great option in the summer, like this citrus sparkler. If you’re hosting an event around the Fourth of July, you might even consider creating mocktails in three colors – red, white and blue!

4. Fall

   When the weather cools down, the drinks warm up. You may be hosting events around Thanksgiving and Halloween, and will want to serve holiday-appropriate drinks. If you’d like to go beyond the ever-popular pumpkin spice latte (which is delicious, so no judgement), there are plenty of seasonal options for fall. Spice up your refreshments with this spiced apple cider mocktail. Or try the very aptly named autumn chiller, made with orange juice and ginger beer. Think of warm, spicy flavors like pumpkin, ginger or cinnamon and colors like orange and red to design your own unique drink.

As you can see, there’s much more to non-alcoholic event beverages than just the standard coffee, tea and cola. There are nearly unlimited choices for creative alcohol-free drinks that guests can enjoy at any time of year. A good event planner can help you design a creative refreshment that’s perfect for your holiday event. For advice on creating the perfect holiday mocktail, talk to the team at Tribeca Rooftop NYC, one of New York City’s premier event management companies.