Sobriety and Mango-Essenced Sparkling Water: The Death of the Christmas Party as We Knew It

Brace yourselves: 21% of Christmas parties this year will be alcohol-free. Yes, you read that correctly. The boozy camaraderie of yesteryear has given way to...mocktails. Because nothing screams "festive fun" quite like sipping a soda that you can only find at Warby-Parker.  Thick acetate frames and Olipop Root Beer.  Turn down for what?! 

According to research by event booking platform Togather, this sobering (pun intended) trend is being championed by Gen Z, the generation that brought us TikTok dances, oat milk lattes, and now, dry December. A full 74% of respondents say health is their top reason for cutting back on alcohol. While it’s admirable to prioritize well-being, one has to wonder: do they know what office parties are for?

In response, workplaces are bending over backward to embrace “fun, inclusive alternatives.” Imagine this: your HR department excitedly unveiling a menu of “creative mocktails” while pointing to the flavored seltzer bar as a cornerstone of the holiday season. It’s unclear who exactly decided that lion mane mushroom tea was the key to inclusivity, but here we are.

Meanwhile, companies are splurging on *other* party aspects. Big budgets, bold entertainment, Instagram-worthy venues—sounds fabulous, doesn’t it? But is a circus act in a converted warehouse really enough to distract us from the lack of mulled wine? Ugh. Um. No.

Naturally, London is leading the charge on these “experience-driven” events, with 58% of bookings in the capital. Apparently, nothing says Christmas spirit like a Soho walk-up.

The data does offer a silver lining (or a rogue drop of sherry in a sea of Perrier): overall drink budgets are up 9.4%. So while Gen Z sips their low-sugar sodas, there’s still hope for the rest of us to secure a decent glass of Cab. Progress? Maybe.

Togather’s Abigail Gliksman assures us that this evolution aligns with Gen Z’s “values.” Bigger budgets, modern themes, and alcohol-free “experiences” are apparently the recipe for lasting impressions on this vibrant workforce. But lasting impressions of *what*, exactly? That we’re a generation that traded eggnog-fueled karaoke for curated mocktail flights?

Merry Christmas, I guess.