Are we being ripped off by the high cost of non-alcoholic booze?

Got rizz, bro?

6 December 2023 Got rizz, bro?  Earlier this week, Oxford Dictionary hilariously named "rizz" its word of the year. Essentially, the term means that you can playfully yet seamlessly strike up a conversation with a new love interest and flirt with them in a light-hearted, resolutely non-intense way. "Rizz" found popularity in my generation – Gen Z – via the Twitch streamer Kai Cenat, who began using the word in his streams in 2022. It trickled down to less successful content creators from there, particularly those in the dating genre – men with large followings of single men would coach them on how to perfect their "rizz" and successfully woo the opposite sex. One video – that I watch through laughter – recommends holding the gaze of the person you're talking to, peppering the conversation with subtle compliments, and finishing it all off with a well-rehearsed one-liner to try and ask for their number.  In June of this year, the word went further viral after the Spider-Man star Tom Holland admitted to Buzzfeed that he had "limited rizz" and that it was much easier having met his partner Zendaya on the set of Spider-Man: Homecoming, rather than awkwardly fumbling over his words in an attempt to chat her up elsewhere. Its popularity is also a sign of the times, and our currently widespread rejection of online dating and romance apps. We huff at the thought of sifting through profiles filled with inauthentic selfies and corny prompts about enjoying an "average Sunday watching Peep Show". We roll our eyes when a Hinge match inevitably ghosts us. And god forbid we can keep up with the admin of having Hinge, Bumble and Tinder downloaded all at once. The stats back it up, too. According to a recent Axios/Generation Lab survey of college students and recent graduates in the US, 79 per cent said they don't use any dating apps at all. However, not all of us are born with "rizz". It's something you may have to acquire over time, or at least practice a little. And that might be why TikTok is awash with young men, who claim they have groundbreaking "rizz" techniques, giving advice to their peers. Apparently, practising "rizz" can be extremely simple. I'm not exactly sold, but many others might be. In other non-rizz news, Kate Ng writes that all of the cool kids aren't drinking alcohol anymore, but non-alcoholic booze instead. She looks into the world of manufacturing behind it and asks whether we are being ripped off by the high cost of the fancy drinks? And... since it's that time of the year when you're likely dreading the obligatory festive socialising with your colleagues, Kate Rosseinsky dishes out her dos and don'ts of the office Christmas party, here. Until next time, EM 'You're paying not to feel terrible the next day': Are we being ripped off by the high cost of non-alcoholic booze? More Brits than ever are trading their gin and tonics for alcohol-free alternatives that look and taste almost identical. But if they contain none of the same alcoholic ingredients – and therefore aren't subject to the same taxes – why are they so eye-wateringly expensive? Kate Ng speaks to manufacturers about the pricey truth behind drinking's hottest new trend The dos and don'ts of the office Christmas party It's that time of year again: obligatory festive socialising with your colleagues, followed by fear and hangxiety – Katie Rosseinsky shares her tips for surviving the annual work Christmas party. (If you end up in a post-party breakaway group at Westfield Nando's, you have made a mistake) From Mick Jagger to Warhol and Madonna – who is Mr Chow, the man who ran the 'Studio 54' of restaurants? Ever since Michael Chow threw open his doors in London in the Sixties, the A-list have flocked to his restaurants, but there was a dark side to the glitz and glamour. As a new HBO documentary reveals the painful truth, Bill Borrows goes to meet the man with the most extraordinary life How to master the art of giving genuinely good Christmas gifts Put down the comedy jumper! Step away from the generic shower gel set! Katie Rosseinsky shares her advice for finding Christmas gifts your friends and family will actually enjoy Hailey Bieber's most loved moisturiser is an IndyBest favourite. The model loves using Weleda's rich, hydrating skin food cream to prep skin before make-up – and now it's on sale.  Amazon's latest Kindle store sale includes books for just 99p, from Meg Mason's You Be Mother to Sayaka Murata's Convenience Store Woman.  In case you missed it... Fewer cards, more turkey: Here's how to kick your Christmas cynicism Author Clare Chambers was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction in 2021 for her novel 'Small Pleasures'. Now she has turned her attention to the festive season, sourcing the tiny aggravations that can make Christmas so frustrating – and the small pleasures that can make it a joy 'It's an ongoing challenge': Will the culture wars come for Britain's books? Books that discuss race, racism and sexuality are being banned or censored across America, igniting further conflict across the political spectrum. It's happening in the UK, too, if – so far, at least – to a lesser extent. But should we be worried, asks Francesca Specter Get £50 off these six and 12-bottle fine wine cases worth nearly £200 using the code INDY50  INDYBEST / BEST BUYS The fair isle knit is back. Serving you through Christmas and beyond, the artisan Scottish style is a timeless investment. 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