How much alcohol for a Christmas party: a guest guide

For a Christmas party, plan on two drinks per guest in the first hour and one per guest for each hour after that. The Wild Duck, a liquor store at 86 Massachusetts Ave in Boston, turns that figure into beer, sparkling wine, spirits and seltzers below, with a shopping list by shelf for planning a party between 1 and 25 December 2026.

How much alcohol do you need for a Christmas party?

Start with this planning rule: two drinks per guest in the first hour, then one drink per guest for every hour after. For 20 guests over four hours, that is 40 drinks in the first hour and 60 across the next three, so about 100 drinks in total.

A drink here means one standard serving: a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or a cocktail with about 1.5 ounces of spirit. Count servings, not bottles, and then convert them into what you need to carry home.

The rule is a way to plan a supply, not a target for anyone to reach. Guests drink at different speeds, and some do not drink alcohol at all, so the non-alcoholic shelf belongs in the plan from the start. Every guest must be of legal drinking age, which is 21 in Massachusetts, for the alcohol in this guide to apply.

How do you work out drinks per guest for your party length?

Multiply your guest count by two for the first hour, then add your guest count multiplied by the remaining hours. A two-hour open house for 30 guests needs about 90 drinks. A five-hour evening for 12 guests needs about 72.

Then adjust for the kind of party. A dinner with a sit-down meal usually runs lighter because the food fills the time. A standing party with a bar and snacks on the side tends to run closer to the full figure. If guests arrive in waves, count the guests who stay the longest and plan for those.

At The Wild Duck we stock more than 4,000 products, so you can build the supply from a single stop instead of splitting it across several shops. If you are still unsure of your numbers, the frequently asked questions page covers how ordering from us works.

How should you split beer, wine, spirits and seltzers?

A workable split for a holiday party is about 30 percent beer, 35 percent wine and sparkling wine, 20 percent spirits for cocktails, and 15 percent seltzers and ready-to-drink cocktails. Move the shares around if you know your guests lean one way.

For our 100-drink example, that gives about 30 beers, 35 glasses of wine and sparkling wine, 20 cocktails and 15 cans of seltzer or ready-to-drink cocktails. Those numbers become five six-packs of beer, seven bottles of wine and sparkling wine, two bottles of spirits and a few four-packs of cans.

For beer, our beer shelf covers lagers, IPAs and easy-drinking styles. A six-pack gives six servings and a case of 24 gives 24. Brands we carry include Sam Adams, which you can compare with Jacks Abby and Zero Gravity if you want a craft option next to the familiar one. If your guest list passes 50, read our kegs page, because a standard half-barrel keg holds about 165 twelve-ounce pours and is easier to manage than dozens of cases.

How much sparkling wine do you need for a Christmas toast?

For a toast alone, plan one glass per guest, and a 750 ml bottle of sparkling wine pours about six flutes. For 20 guests, that is four bottles, with a spare bottle as a margin.

If sparkling wine is the welcome drink for the whole evening, count it as part of your wine share instead. In our 100-drink example, about half of the 35 wine servings could be sparkling, which means three bottles of sparkling and three or four bottles of still wine.

Our sparkling wine shelf is where to look, and our guide to choosing and serving Champagne explains the difference between Champagne and other sparkling styles. Keep the bottles cold, because sparkling wine tastes best chilled and opens more safely when it is.

For still wine, keep one red and one white on hand. Our red wine and white wine pages are the places to choose, and a bottle of still wine pours about five glasses.

How many bottles of spirits and liqueur do you need for holiday cocktails?

A 750 ml bottle of spirits holds about 16 pours of 1.5 ounces, and most cocktails use one or two pours. For 20 cocktails, buy two bottles, or one if the cocktail is only a second option next to beer and wine.

Choose two or three spirits and make them go further. A vodka and a whiskey cover most requests, and bourbon works well in winter drinks. If you want a third, gin or rum gives the bar a different direction.

A liqueur adds a flavour without needing a full recipe. CHARTREUSE Yellow Liqueur is a French herbal liqueur that appears in classic cocktails, and our liqueur shelf has more to choose from.

If you would rather give than serve, our holiday gift guide covers wine, spirits and beer as gifts.

How many seltzers and ready-to-drink cocktails should you buy?

Plan on about one can for every guest who prefers a lighter, simpler drink, which is often around one in six or seven guests. For 20 guests, that is three or four cans each of two flavours, or about 15 cans in all.

Seltzers and ready-to-drink cocktails are the easiest drinks to host, because there is nothing to measure or mix. A guest can open a can and go back to the conversation, and you do not need glassware.

Our seltzers and ready-to-drink shelves hold both. Brands we carry include High Noon, Smirnoff and Buzz Ballz. Pick two or three flavours rather than six, since a small range runs out less awkwardly than a large one.

What do people forget to buy for a Christmas party?

The usual gaps are mixers, ice, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. Mixers come first: plan two to three ounces of soda, tonic or ginger beer for each spirit-based cocktail, which is a 1-litre bottle for every seven or eight drinks.

Our mixers shelf includes Fever Tree, and our guide to the Moscow Mule shows what a simple mixed drink needs. For a brunch table, the Rokz Bloody Mary Lover Set is a ready-made kit.

Ice is the item most often short. Plan about one pound for every guest for drinks, and more if you chill bottles and cans in tubs.

For non-alcoholic choices, aim for at least one for every four guests, and more if guests are driving. The non-alcoholic shelf covers it, and sparkling water and soda belong beside them.

Food matters as much as drink. Our snacks shelf and snacks page have things to put out, including Chica De Gallot Pepper Salsa. If you are giving a host gift, a Thank You Card from our merchandise shelf goes with a bottle.

What is the easy shopping list by shelf for one trip?

Here is the list for 20 guests over four hours, grouped by the shelf where you will find each item. Scale it up or down using the rules above.

Beer: five six-packs, mixed between a lager and an IPA. Wine: three or four bottles of still wine, split between red and white. Sparkling wine: three or four bottles, kept cold. Liquor: two 750 ml bottles of spirits, plus one liqueur if you want a cocktail feature.

Seltzers and ready-to-drink: about 15 cans in two or three flavours. Mixers: three 1-litre bottles of soda, tonic or ginger beer. Non-alcoholic: at least five bottles or cans. Snacks: two or three kinds. Elsewhere: ice, glasses and napkins.

The Wild Duck is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM and on Sunday from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. We also offer in-store pickup, delivery, and shipping, so you can choose what suits your week. Delivery covers Boston, Cambridge and Brookline. Our Google rating is above 4.5 from more than 60 reviews, and you can ask us about quantities in the shop.