PERSONAL HEALTH : TIPS for a Safe Holiday Party

If you host a holiday party, you take some responsibility for ensuring that guests do not become intoxicated and a threat to anyone’s safety, say the planners of a widely praised program to prevent intoxication at social events.

TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures by Servers of Alcohol) offers help to servers and sellers of alcohol as well as to party hosts.

Among the advice:

* Ensure everyone’s good time by planning a party where no one gets drunk.

* Be sure everyone knows that over-drinking is unacceptable.

To accomplish these two goals:

* Create a sociable atmosphere with good lighting and music.

* Serve food to slow down the rate of alcohol absorption.

* Offer soft drinks, fruit juices or other nonalcoholic beverages.

* Keep guests entertained by providing good conversation, a relaxed setting and good cheer.

* Close the bar and serve coffee an hour before the party ends. Allow as much time as possible between drinking and driving.

* Make cab service or designated drivers available.

* Do whatever is necessary to keep friends from driving drunk, even if it means taking their car keys or having them spend the night.