If your default gift for any celebration is to raid the booze aisle in your local supermarket, then you’re certainly not alone. At times, it can feel impossible to escape the association between gift-giving, celebration and booze. Check out our suggestions to get you started when it comes to giving great alcohol-free gifts.

Birthday party? Bring some fizz. Dinner party? Get the beers in. Wedding anniversary? Time to open a special bottle of something.

In fact, insert almost any celebratory occasion and you might just find yourself gravitating towards alcohol as the automatic choice of gift. So how do we change the narrative when it comes to alcohol, gift-giving and celebrations?

Change your default settings

Ever noticed that alcohol tends to be the default gift for almost any celebration? As we all know, a thoughtful gift requires a little bit of effort and imagination, so why not break out of autopilot and think about some alternatives? If you’re stuck for a gift, try to consider what else the recipient likes to gather some more creative gifting ideas.

Perhaps your loved one is a bit of a foodie and would appreciate a batch of your finest baked goods? Maybe your best friend is an avid reader who’d love a subscription to their favourite magazine? Taking a moment to think differently in this way means you can make it special, rather than dashing to the offy for the usual bottles of fizz.

What’s their love language?

Recently, the concept of love languages has been quite the hot topic. If you’re not familiar with the term, it refers to the work of Dr. Gary Chapman and outlines how people like to give and receive love in relationships. It can be a useful tool for couples to communicate their love and appreciation to one another.

How about extending this idea to other non-romantic relationships in our lives - such as those with friends and family - and thinking about how they might want to feel appreciated, particularly in the context of a celebration? Why not have that conversation with your loved one to start getting great gift ideas

Maybe it’s a friend’s birthday coming up who you know has a busy homelife and is overstretched at the moment. Instead of getting another bottle for them, could you offer to babysit their children one evening, or help them out with their daily duties in some other way? Perhaps you have a loved one that you know would like to see you more, but life and busy schedules often get in the way of this. Could you organise a meet-up or find a convenient date to have them over for dinner soon? Giving your time is arguably more precious and long-lasting than any bottle, no matter the vintage!

Make a straight switch

With the alcohol-free drinks sector booming, there’s never been a better time to discover some top-notch alternatives. So, if you feel the occasion does require some bottle popping, you still have that option. Take a look at our drink reviews, rated by our team of taste testers, to help you find alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks you’ll want to raise a glass with.

So, there you have it - some ideas to help you start thinking differently when it comes to gifts and alcohol!