Take your at-home happy hour up a level with these cocktails, mocktails and, yes, a cheese board

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Tune into In The Know Live: Kitchen Gadgets every Tuesday at 5 p.m. EST/2 p.m. PST. The show, hosted by In The Know cooking editor Ellie Conley, dives into the newest kitchen gadgets and food trends for at-home chefs and foodies alike.

When quarantine measures first kicked in, virtual at-home happy hours (usually over Zoom) became the top way to socialize safely. With or without alcohol, these happy hours were a way to reconnect with friends and family. But now, even as people are getting vaccinated and some COVID-19 mandates are being lifted, I don’t think we should give up at-home happy hour.

Hear me out: Keep it virtual or host it in your backyard, but an at-home happy hour is better than any bar. It’s more casual, the food and drink options are endless, you can start at any time and it’s much less expensive. Girl, even a half-price bottle of wine at the bar is going to cost you more than a store-bought bottle!

So, here’s everything I recommend to make a great cocktail, mocktail, cheese board and more for your at-home happy hours. Plus, a few gifts you can take the host if you’re just a lucky guest.

See what I’m talking about — and shop it all — on the episode of In The Know Live: Kitchen Gadgets above.

If you like this article, check out these six cocktail recipes for kicking off the weekend.

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