**Five Creative Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Get You Through the Dry January**

Let's keep a relaxed and cheerful mood in the new year's January. Why not enhance our soda-drinking experience! Those friends who never drink alcohol know that there are various high-quality non-alcoholic drinks available on the market. For example, hot chocolate, with its rich and mellow taste, can bring you full warmth in winter. Hot apple cider, emitting an alluring fruity aroma, makes you feel as if all the coldness can be dispelled with just one sip. There's also fresh fruit juice, which is full of natural fruity fragrance and nutrition. Non-alcoholic cocktails allow you to enjoy a similar cocktail atmosphere without the alcohol. And interesting sodas offer endless possibilities. For those of us who are used to having an old-fashioned cocktail on a cold winter night, "Dry January" can vary from person to person. Some people have gotten used to the rhythm of drinking and even associate it with the relaxing time after work or the leisure moment after putting the kids to bed. Maybe there are only one or two hours of free time each day, and after having a drink, they just feel sleepy. However, since you are trying to reduce your alcohol consumption, you should get creative with soda drinks. You don't have to just drink boxes of Polar or La Croix (although there's nothing wrong with that). For ordinary sodas, there are actually many interesting ways to make their taste richer, their flavor more intense, and they are also simple to prepare and can keep you hydrated. Here are some of the most popular creative ways to drink soda.

**1. Add Cherries** Have you ever tried putting a few Italian Marasca cherries (we really like these sexy and slightly sweet Luxardos cherries) into a glass of chilled soda and then drizzling a little syrup on it? It feels amazing, just like a small dream coming true. If you want the cherry-lime flavor, you can add a slice of lime and a bit of cherry syrup. The taste will be even more丰富.

**2. Make Bitters and Sparkling Drinks** In a bar, those who don't want to drink cocktails usually have a soft spot for a drink called "bits n bubs". Actually, it's just soda plus Angostura bitters, and you can add as much bitters as you like. Its fans like to use it to conceal the fact that they're not drinking (because bitters have a bit of an alcoholic smell). Bitters are good for digestion, so having a glass of the mixture of bitters and sparkling drinks after a big meal is a great choice. You can choose any bitters you like - we prefer the peach and orange flavors - or you can even make your own bitters!

**3. DIY Oil Sugar** Have you ever made oil sugar by yourself? It might sound complicated, but it's actually quite simple. Just mix citrus peels (which you would usually throw away anyway) with a little sugar. Its Latin name means "oil sugar". Leave them in the sun or a warm place for a few hours (the exact recipe is here). The oil in the citrus peels will gradually flavor the sugar, forming a super fragrant, almost non-sweet oil that can be a delicious addition to sparkling wine. (A little goes a long way!) You can also use the citrus peels to decorate your drink and make a really good-looking highball.

**4. Add Interesting Juices** Maybe you're already a big fan of lemonade, or you've always been used to pairing soda with orange juice. But have you ever thought about other amazing citrus juices to try this winter? Whether it's the sour grapefruit juice, the cute kumquat slices for decoration, or the rich blood orange juice, when it comes to mixing these juices with soda to make fizzy drinks, the possibilities are endless - you can mix them in any proportion you like.

**5. Think of Tasty Combinations** Whether you've already finished grocery shopping or are just about to start buying a new batch of groceries, you can freely associate the flavor combinations you already like. For example, rosemary with lemon is a great combination, and thyme is also good. Thyme paired with grapefruit also has a unique flavor. Grapefruit and ginger together taste really special. Ginger and lemon make a refreshing combination. Lemon and strawberry are sweet and sour. Strawberry and vanilla smell wonderful. Vanilla and orange is also a lovely combination. (You should get the idea now!) Whether you make a simple syrup and add a small sprig of fresh rosemary or thyme (the sturdier vanilla is more suitable for this) or just use these savory elements as decorations, they can all add a satisfying aroma and an amazing look to the finished drink. For all of these options, if you're satisfied with the flavor of the drink, you probably won't miss alcohol too much.