6 New Year's Eve Mocktails for a Free-Spirited Start to the Year

New Year's Eve. It's a time for sparkles, glitter, hopes, goodbyes, and a grand hello to the year that awaits us. Not so much the hangover or the sleeping in — especially if you're anything like me. I'm that person who loves to roll out of bed and hit the ground running, even on holidays. So, aside from a glass of bubbly at midnight, you'll find me sipping a New Year's Eve mocktail. Quite likely one of these. 

You know who deserves an EGOT? Sparkling white grape juice. Its versatility to make little humans happy on New Year's Eve and transform into an adult-looking mocktail is sensational.

Ingredients

• ½ ounce nonalcoholic gin OR ½ ounce rosemary simple syrup
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Ice
• Sparkling white grape juice to top off
• Thyme sprig and raspberry for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a Champagne flute.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, nonalcoholic gin, and lemon juice.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled flute.
5. Top off with sparkling white grape juice.
6. Garnish with raspberry and a thyme sprig. 

A little coconut water to keep you refreshed, and of course bubbles because that's what New Year's Eve is all about. Yes, you can give this a kiss at midnight.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces coconut water
• 2 ounces limeade
• Ice
• Tonic water to top off
• Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions 

1. In a rocks glass, add ice, coconut water, and limeade.
2. Top off with tonic water.
3. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Nonalcoholic bourbon gives this zero-proof old-fashioned the perfect bolt of flavor and none of the buzz. I guess that makes it a new-fashioned old-fashioned mocktail.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces nonalcoholic bourbon
• ½ ounce cranberry simple syrup
• 3-4 dashes orange bitters
• 1-2 dashes aromatic bitters
• Ice
• Orange wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a mixing glass, add ice, nonalcoholic bourbon, cranberry simple syrup, and bitters.
2. Stir rapidly to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with an orange wheel. 

Martini glasses are for mocktails, too. And when you're celebrating a holiday as flashy and fun as New Year's Eve, your mocktail must match the occasion.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces pink lemonade
• 1 ounce white cranberry juice
• 1½ ounces nonalcoholic vodka, optional
• ¼ ounce jalapeño simple syrup
• Ice
• Strawberry for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, pink lemonade, white cranberry juice, nonalcoholic vodka, and jalapeño simple syrup.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled glass.
5. Garnish with a strawberry. 

You're watching the hours s l o w l y crawl by as you wait for midnight to finally arrive, and you can feel the yawns creeping in. So, whip up a buzzing martini that's all thanks to caffine and no liquor.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces nonalcoholic spiced rum
• 1 ounce cold brew concentrate
• ½ ounce cinnamon simple syrup
• 1-2 dashes chocolate bitters
• Ice
• Three whole coffee beans OR edible gold glitter for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, nonalcoholic spiced rum, cold brew concentrate, cinnamon simple syrup, and chocolate bitters.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled glass.
5. Garnish as desired. 

Cinnamon whiskey this, cinnamon whiskey that. If you're someone who loves a drink with the cinnamon heat, this mocktail will send you into the new year perfectly ablaze.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces cranberry juice
• ¼ ounce nonalcoholic falernum
• 2-3 dashes habanero bitters, to taste
• Ice
• Vanilla club soda to top off

Instructions

1. Chill a Champagne flute.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, cranberry juice, nonalcoholic falernum, and bitters.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled glass.
5. Top off with vanilla club soda.

When you're counting down the minutes to midnight, don't forget to pop a bottle of zero-proof bubbles. And of course, add that pinch of glitter because New Year's Eve is never complete without sparkle. Lots and lots of sparkle. Not to mention, you'll be ahead of the game with a good night's sleep, and you'll wake on New Year's Day without cottonmouth. Now that's getting a good head start.