I don’t know about you, but the holidays are the toughest time for me to stay sober. There’s nothing more comforting than a glass of wine or champagne to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, or to ring in the New Year.
Maybe it has something to do with the association between wine and food, and there’s so much of both this time of year.
For some reason, I’m able to go to bars without a problem. Maybe it’s because when I go to bars, I go to dance, so I don’t miss having a drink.
However, even when I go to regular parties at any time of year, I get the urge. By the time partygoers are starting to get tipsy, I bow out early. I don’t like being around tipsy or drunk people when I am sober. It’s no fun.
Based on my seven years of sobriety, I’ve come up with a few tips for having a successful, healthful, and substance-free holiday.
- Mix yourself a mocktail.
You don’t have to bore yourself drinking Diet Coke or plain ol’ water. Have some fun with it. Bring something sophisticated to drink for yourself.
San Pellegrino is a lifesaver. If served properly — with a lime wedge over ice — the drink has the look of a gin and tonic, so you can also fend off anyone nosy enough to insist you have a drink. Plus, it’s not sweet, so you can keep drinking it all day and not get a stomach ache. You can also mix it with fresh fruit juice.
Lately I’ve been a fan of virgin Moscow Mules. Find some ginger beer (not ginger ale) at Whole Foods or a gourmet grocery store. Ginger beer (it’s non-alcoholic, despite the “beer” in the name) has a bit of a kick to it, more ginger than ordinary ginger ale. Squeeze some fresh lime juice and add sparkling water as a base. Also add a bit of simple syrup and mix it with ice. Easy mocktail.
Here’s an article about mixing more mocktails for the holidays.
- Have an exit strategy.
If a craving sets in, bow out early. Let the host know you may need to bounce early since you have another engagement in the morning. Or that you’re working tomorrow. You can also easily feign sickness. Migraines are the perfect excuse. Remember, your sobriety is at stake, and you don’t want to slip up and relapse.
- Play with the kids.
I usually have my 11-year-old nephew around for Thanksgiving. Take a break from socially awkward conversations with the adults (remember how easy it was when we drank?) and get into some board games or video games with the kids. In other words, get yourself away from the alcohol.
- Watch football.
Or if you’re not into football, like me, pretend to watch football. Or watch those Black Friday commercials. It’s no Super Bowl, but some of them are clever. Or Christmasy.
- Take a nap.
There’s a lot of drowsy-inducing tryptophan in that turkey you just ingested. Plus carbs in that stuffing and mashed potatoes. It’s perfectly acceptable to find a couch somewhere and take a nap.
Whether it’s naptime, games with the kids or delicious mocktails, you’ll have plenty of distraction if you follow these guidelines. Be thankful that you’re sober and keep it up.
