Dry housewarming, worried guests will bring alcohol

[Anonymous]

Maybe I'm weird, but anyone I am inviting into my home for a housewarming party would already know that I don't drink alcohol, or would likely be told by other people that were invited.


Or are housewarming parties the new invite strangers for gift grubbing event?

[Anonymous]

Mormon or Muslim?

[Anonymous]

You have to accept it and say thank you. If it's wine, I'd actually open it and serve it to the guests that are there wo do drink. Pour the rest of any open bottles down the sink and register the rest.

[Anonymous]

We do not drink, but not for religious reasons, so I would have no problem accepting alcohol and serving some to the guests. No idea how to mix a cocktail, though - it would have to be something I can pour straight from the bottle.

That is a quandary, OP! Would you be "sinning" if you served alcohol to your guests?

Anyway, to circumvent the problem, I would tell them in advance.

[Anonymous]

It's horribly awkward! We are Jewish, and keep a strict kosher home. When we first or married, we dealt with people bringing non kosher wine, food etc. all the time. So awkward! We would just whisk away whatever innpropriate thing thy brought, and throw it in the garage. (And when the party was over, would send it home with the last guest standing, who was usually a close friend who "gets" it). As time has passed, we've beaten it into people's heads more, so it happens much less. We started to tell people to bring domestic beer (which is kosher by default 99% of the time). Now they do it by default to anything we host. I'd suggest start trying to do something like that-- like tell people every single time to bring bread to go with dinner, or to bring cookies. Just one consistent thing they can latch onto. It'll get better!! Congrats on your new place!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't drink but if I have guests to my home I am obligated to provide them everything that brings them comfort and joy. They are after all my guest, I am not theirs. I provide refreshments which they enjoy, otherwise why invite them over.

I'll have a prostitute, please. Actually, make it two.

[Anonymous]

I agree with everyone who said to accept it graciously and regift, but, as a guest, I would want to know this ahead of time. I'd feel foolish if I brought you a bottle of wine and found out after the fact that you didn't drink. I'd rather bring you something you can use. (And I say this as someone who sent a relative a gourmet gift following surgery that she couldn't eat because she'd been diagnosed as diabetic.)

[Anonymous]

OP, if you think most people you invited don't know you don't drink and don't want alcohol in your home, you may want to let them know to avoid an awkward situation

I recently had a housewarming party and nearly everyone brought either a plant or a bottle of wine. We are not big drinkers, but it seemed like the gift of choice.

[Anonymous]

You should try to let your guests know ahead of time that you don't drink or serve alcohol. A bottle of wine is my default gift for a housewarming party, and I would quickly piece together that yours is an alcohol-free house when no alcohol was served at your housewarming party, and I would feel bad that I did not bring a better suited gift for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't drink but if I have guests to my home I am obligated to provide them everything that brings them comfort and joy. They are after all my guest, I am not theirs. I provide refreshments which they enjoy, otherwise why invite them over.

Everything that brings them comfort and joy? I don't think so. Reasonable people can enjoy a social event without alcohol; the rest can decide to decline any further invitations.

+1 Adults should not expect alcohol but sadly most do.

I expect alcohol at an adult gathering but don't get at all upset if it's not served. And there is nothing sad about it.

[Anonymous]

OP, if I bring someone a housewarming gift it's something I genuinely hope they will enjoy, so maybe consider adding a note to the invitation? I would feel badly if I gave you something you couldn't use.

[Anonymous]

An adult party means offering alcohol. Kind of like a child's birthday party means some sort of cake or something sweet. I personally don't think you should be hosting a social event if you don't offer anything to drink. A normal social event includes some sort of food, soda, water and alcohol. Wine at the very least. If you're so against having alcohol at your home then just meet your friends out at a restaurant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An adult party means offering alcohol. Kind of like a child's birthday party means some sort of cake or something sweet. I personally don't think you should be hosting a social event if you don't offer anything to drink. A normal social event includes some sort of food, soda, water and alcohol. Wine at the very least. If you're so against having alcohol at your home then just meet your friends out at a restaurant.

No, it doesn't. Ditto for the kids and the sweets. You have a very narrow-minded view of how things should be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't drink but if I have guests to my home I am obligated to provide them everything that brings them comfort and joy. They are after all my guest, I am not theirs. I provide refreshments which they enjoy, otherwise why invite them over.

That's fine if it is a preference thing, but not if it is a religious matter. You wouldn't expect an observant Jew to make you pork in cream sauce for dinner just because it brings you "comfort and joy," right? Why expect someone who doesn't drink and doesn't have alcohol in their home due to religious restrictions to serve you alcohol?

OP, I would just graciously accept whatever gifts are given, and then bring any alcohol to coworkers or other friends that do drink. Presumably if people are close enough to you to come to your housewarming, they probably have some clue that you don't drink, right?

No,I wouldn't expect pork at a dinner party hosted by someone Jewish. But I would expect some sort of meat or even vegetarian entree to be served given it is dinner. So chicken, beef, fish, etc. Kind of like I also expect to be served something to drink. Don't have people over for dinner if you're not having food and don't throw a party if there won't be any alcohol. It is plain rude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:An adult party means offering alcohol. Kind of like a child's birthday party means some sort of cake or something sweet. I personally don't think you should be hosting a social event if you don't offer anything to drink. A normal social event includes some sort of food, soda, water and alcohol. Wine at the very least. If you're so against having alcohol at your home then just meet your friends out at a restaurant.

No, it doesn't. Ditto for the kids and the sweets. You have a very narrow-minded view of how things should be.

I've lived all over the country and have never once been invited to a party where alcohol wasn't served. I've also never attended a child's birthday party that didn't have something sweet, like a cake. I actually think the OP is the anomoly here.