Active Dayton - Entertainment, events, movies, restaurants and dining, music and more to do in Dayton and Southwest Ohio

The Distilled Spirits Council offers these tips on how to host responsible cocktail parties:

1. Designate a bartender who can serve your guests and keep an eye on how much everyone is drinking. The Federal Dietary Guidelines define moderate drinking as up to two drinks per day for men and up to one drink per day for women.

2. Remember — alcohol is alcohol. It is important to understand that a standard drink of regular beer (12 fluid ounces), wine (five fluid ounces) and spirits (a cocktail with 1.5 fluid ounces of 80-proof spirits) each contains the same amount of alcohol, 0.6 fluid ounces.

3. Make sure that you provide food to complement your cocktails. Consider food pairings to enhance the flavor of your chosen cocktails: fresh seafood and breads accentuate vodka cocktails, spiced and smoked meats and cheeses complement Bourbon and Scotch whiskies and fruit enhances Rum and Tequila flavors.

4. Make available non-alcohol beverages for your guests. Create festive nonalcohol punch for those guests who choose not to drink alcohol.

5. Make sure your guests have a safe way home, either through designated drivers or a taxi. Have local taxi service numbers available for your guests.

>> 10 Tips for throwing a rocking' new year's party

>> See how much you can drink and still be legal to drive with our alcohol calculator