Giving alcohol as a present: 18+ and drinking responsibly

Alcohol gifts on this site — tasting sets, beer selections, gin advent calendars — are marked 18+. This page explains why, and how to give them responsibly. It’s general information, not medical advice.

Alcohol and under-18s

GOV.UK explains that if someone is under 18, it’s against the law for anyone to sell them alcohol, and for an adult to buy or try to buy alcohol for them. Only buy alcohol presents for adults, and keep them out of reach of children at home.

The low-risk drinking guidelines

The UK Chief Medical Officers advise that, to keep health risks from alcohol low, it’s safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis. The NHS adds:

• If you regularly drink as much as 14 units a week, spread it evenly over three or more days.
• If you want to cut down, have several drink-free days each week.
• 14 units is about six pints of average-strength beer or ten small glasses of lower-strength wine (NHS).

The Chief Medical Officers also advise that if you’re pregnant or might be, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all.

Thoughtful alternatives

Not everyone drinks, and plenty of people are cutting down. If you’re not sure, choose something else they’ll enjoy:

• Speciality coffee or a loose-leaf tea selection
• A cocktail-making set — great for mocktails too
• A hot chocolate set or luxury chocolates

For more advice about alcohol, see the NHS and Drinkaware pages in the sources below.