What Is Zebra Striping? How to Alternate Drinks at a Holiday Party

Zebra striping is the habit of alternating an alcoholic drink with a non-alcoholic one over the course of a night. One drink, then a non-alcoholic drink, then back again, so the evening has stripes. People use zebra striping to set an easy pace at long gatherings without sitting anything out, and the holidays are where it gets the most use: Thanksgiving, office parties, New Year's Eve.

What is zebra striping?

Zebra striping is a pacing habit where every other drink is non-alcoholic. Nobody counts and nobody announces anything. The glass in your hand is always full, and the pattern does the work. The name comes from the alternating stripes, and it sits in the middle ground between drinking as usual and not drinking at all.

Why do people zebra stripe at the holidays?

Holiday gatherings run long, which is why zebra striping is most popular between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Thanksgiving can start at noon and end after pie, and a December party can go well past midnight. Alternating drinks lets people stay in the room for all of it: present for the conversations, steady through dinner and up for whatever Friday brings. A non-alcoholic cocktail in the same glass as everyone else's also doesn't invite questions.

What makes a good zebra stripe drink?

A good zebra stripe drink is a real drink, not a time-out. It comes in the same glass, with the same ice and garnish, and tastes like something you chose. Water belongs on the table all night, but a glass of water between cocktails feels like a break, while a non-alcoholic cocktail with real flavor keeps the night moving.

UNDONE makes non-alcoholic spirits by dealcoholizing real spirits, so UNDONE No. 2 NOT GIN with Thomas Henry Tonic Water tastes like the G&T it stands in for. Thomas Henry mixers were made for bartenders (BORN IN BARS.), and the tonic's bitterness and bubbles give the drink the backbone a highball needs.

Three zebra stripe pairings to try

These three non-alcoholic cocktails from UNDONE and Thomas Henry each use two main ingredients and take about a minute to make:

• G&T: 2 oz UNDONE No. 2 NOT GIN and 4 oz Thomas Henry Tonic Water over ice, with a grapefruit wheel. Get the pair.
• Whiskey Mule: 2 oz UNDONE No. 3 NOT WHISKEY and 4 oz Thomas Henry Spicy Ginger Beer in a copper mug with ice and a squeeze of lime. Get the pair.
• Bittersweet Spritz: 2 oz UNDONE No. 5 Bittersweet Aperitif, 3 oz UNDONE No. 20 Pop-Up Blanc and a splash of Thomas Henry Soda Water in a wine glass with ice and an orange slice. Get the kit.

How can a host make zebra striping easy?

A host can make zebra striping effortless for guests with four small choices:

• Use the same glassware for every drink. When the non-alcoholic G&T and the regular one look identical, nobody feels singled out.
• Put the non-alcoholic cocktail on the menu by name. A drink with a name and a garnish gets ordered; "something without" does not.
• Keep water on every table. A pitcher next to the food is easy to reach and easy to remember.
• Pre-batch the base. Mix the UNDONE spirit with citrus ahead of time and top each glass with Thomas Henry to order, so the bubbles stay fresh.

Zebra striping FAQ

Is zebra striping the same as drinking water between drinks?

Zebra striping and drinking water between drinks are related, but zebra striping usually means alternating with a non-alcoholic drink you actually want, like a non-alcoholic G&T. Many people do both: a non-alcoholic cocktail every other round and water on the table all night.

Does zebra striping work with any non-alcoholic drink?

Zebra striping works with any non-alcoholic drink, but it is easiest when the drink matches the occasion. At a cocktail party that means a non-alcoholic cocktail in the same glass; at a dinner table it can be a sparkling non-alcoholic wine like UNDONE No. 20 Pop-Up Blanc.

What is the difference between zebra striping and bookending?

Zebra striping alternates drinks all night, while bookending makes the first and last drink of the night non-alcoholic. The two habits work well together. Read more in What Is Bookending?

Ready for the holidays? Each UNDONE x Thomas Henry pair is one bottle of UNDONE with a full 750ml Thomas Henry mixer. Shop the holiday sets.

UNDONE products are non-alcoholic, produced by dealcoholizing real spirits and wines. For adults 21 and over.