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It’s that time of year when the Christmas preparations have begun and everybody is stocking up on food, fizz and fun items to wrap for Christmas and more. People are looking at the mulled wine options for their Christmas Eve and their wine options for their Christmas dinner, they are even looking at the fizz options for popping the champagne on New Year’s Eve. It seems that most of the festive season seems to hover around the types of drinks that people can indulge in, and it’s also about the food. Let’s not forget the food!
Whether or not you have had boozy Christmases in the past, this may well be your first sober Christmas annual be looking at the non alcoholic drinks instead of the bubbly ones. While you may miss champagne this year, there is nothing like going into a brand new year feeling sober, happy and balanced. So, we’ve got some tips to help you to enjoy your sober Christmas and know that it’s not all about feeling drunk.
- Plan for the stress. When you are the only person not drinking anything alcoholic it can feel really stressful, but you can plan for that. Christmas is not necessarily known as the most stress free holiday anyway, and it can be overwhelming to spend money on gifts for several people and make plans for those you care about helping while not being able to say yes to a drink to say cheers with. It’s not the easiest thing to do, but planning for the stress means that you’re going to eliminate the need to reach for a bottle of bubbly and pop it open just to relax your nerves. If you know that the stress is coming, you can be ready for it.
- Volunteer time. If you’re looking for activities that can make you feel good and don’t involve you standing at about all your friends, consider spending your holiday time volunteering. You may be looking for your own sponsor or an AA meeting nearby to wherever you are spending Christmas, so humble yourself and head to the local shelter to hand out soups and Christmas dinners. It’s a good way to focus on the purpose of the season as they are clear of any substances, and those who struggle with their sobriety can understand just how important this type of community is for recovery.
- Stay in charge of your choices. If you are a social butterfly it’s likely that you are going to get invited to many different parties this holiday season. Stay in charge of those choices and don’t open yourself up to risk. Stick with family and friends who understand that you are sober and will go with you to bars or restaurants that don’t necessarily serve alcohol and support you by not ordering it themselves. You can pick where you go and who you interact with and nobody is going to be at mercy of your needs, but it’s important that you pick people who would understand them.
- Just say no. It’s hard, but no is a complete sentence so if you’re not happy with something or you don’t want to drink and somebody is pressuring you to do so, say no and walk away and hold your head up high while you do it.
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