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Just being able to hold a drink in your hand as social cover is part of what you’re buying. At a Christmas party, you just want to have what appears to be the peppermint Christmas-themed drink in your hand like everyone else, even if you’re pregnant or don’t drink for whatever reason. People will stop asking if they can get you a drink. Not everyone buying an NA drink cares about perfectly emulating the sensation of alcohol entering the body.

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Tonic and lime or club soda and lime can do that as well.

If you allow yourself a touch of alcohol bitters in tonic or club soda is another good choice.

Yes. Discovering lime soda is what allowed me to stop drinking alcohol. Prior to that I would feel the peer pressure to have an alcoholic drink. For some reason water is unacceptable. Coca cola or similar is OK, but very unhealthy. Lime soda seems to be the minimum that is allowed and doesn't seem too unhealthy.

The other trick is making the drink last for as long as you can. As soon as the drink is finished you are required to obtain another one. But nobody needs to drink multiple litres of fluid in the space of a few hours, plus it's expensive. So I take tiny sips and make half a litre last an hour or longer.

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