Before the age of the automobile, transportation from holiday festivities wasn't much of a safety issue. Party-goers could stumble home or, if they were lucky enough to have transportation, they could often rely on the horse to find the way home.

These days, designated drivers play an important role in helping to keep the holiday season joyful. They agree not to drink alcohol so their friends can imbibe without worrying about driving under the influence.

But that shouldn't mean that designated drivers can't have fun -- or that they shouldn't be able to enjoy a tasty, refreshing drink.

To highlight the importance of designated drivers and to help make the role a bit more attractive, the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center sponsored a contest to see which local bar could come up with the best non-alcoholic drink for the holidays.

The winner was Pickles Pub, a popular drinking spot at 520 Washington Blvd., just "a homerun away from Camden Yards," according to co-owner Andy Yesko.

Yesko doesn't drink much alcohol himself and says the drink, Santa's Little Helper, was designed to be festive without being overly sweet. The bar offers free sodas to designated drivers year-round, but this drink gives them and other nondrinkers a festive alternative for the holidays. Santa's Little Helper is free to designated drivers and sells for $2 to patrons who are not designated drivers, the same price as soft drinks.

The drink falls into the category of mock cocktails, or "mocktails," which an increasing number of drinking spots are making available on a regular basis. Mocktails can exhibit as much creativity and often as much flavor as a regular cocktail, as long as you don't expect them to be too close an approximation of an alcoholic drink. For many designated drivers or nondrinkers, mocktails are a satisfying change from the usual bar beverages.

Santa's Little Helper

Serves 1

1/2 cup white grape juice concentrate

1/2 cup raspberry juice concentrate

1/2 cup sour mix

splash of 7 UP

slice of orange

2 to 3 fresh cranberries

Combine first three ingredients, shake and pour over ice in a pint beer glass or mug. Add a splash of 7 UP and garnish with orange and fresh cranberries.