How to avoid drink at Christmas

[Oatieliciousszzl]

Kind of opening up here. Im not or haven't been an alcoholic but I did notice myself getting into a pattern of wanting a little drink with my evening bath, and enjoying the buzz it gave me.

A few months ago I realised I had done this every night that week and thats when I put a halt to it.

Im 26 have 2 kids under 4 and mine and my partners relationship is struggling a bit. So its kind of been like a stress relief for me. Im so anxious and I get down a little bit so of a night after what feels like wearing a mask so my kids dont see me stressed etc or so work dont notice, it was a relaxation thing.

But I wanted to nip it in the bud before it got out of control.

However christmas is approaching and thats a tempting time. I always will drink around then and new years. Feel like its laid on heavy that time of year but how do I fight the temptation? I want to go alcohol free if I can fully its something im working towards

It's Christmas Oatie, a few drinks won't hurt you. Let your hair down and go with the flow

I dont drink, and i just tell other people that I dont. I drink tea or coffee, or have a fruit juice/other soft drink.

You will feel much better managing small children if you dont drink. No hangover feelings in the morning. Maybe treat yourself to something else instead.

I'm 3 years off alcohol. I highly recommend it! I recommend you plan ahead. My first one is to find a nice drink you like that you can associate with the relaxing/celebrating feeling. I got a lovely spiced berry cordial thing and would make lovely hot drinks in the evening. Smelt and tasted very festive. I made a nice ginger ale and pomegranate syrup drink to have with meals when others would have bubbles. Drive to events so you can't drink. Know that events will feel a bit different. I leave earlier than usual and remind myself that I'm choosing the morning. Find the other non drinkers for chats that don't make you regret being sober. Good luck!

it's reallllllllllllllllly hard, especially at christmas. especially when your kids are young (mine are old now but i'm referring to your post etc).

i have seen a million tiktoks on sobriety, alcohol, addiction. maybe something there will tell you something helpful? (i certainly won't!)

I’m going into my 3rd alcohol free Christmas (stopped drinking completely in April 2023, haven’t had a drink since). I mean it’s going to sound really obvious, but you just don’t drink.

Get yourself some lovely drinks you enjoy. AF gin and nice tonics, lovely teas, really good quality hot chocolate with cream.

Honestly, I’ve enjoyed Christmas so much more without alcohol. Like it really is so much better. You get to be more present. Things are more fun. Really it is! You aren’t exhausted. You genuinely appreciate it all so much more.

Have you tried anything to stop? Annie Grace’s This Naked Mind is excellent and you can do the 30 day alcohol experiment.

Also if you start now you’ll be 8 weeks ahead of the game when everyone is struggling at the start of Dry January.

I must pick up some Ribena winter spice. Love that with hot water.

I just do the driving. Alcohol at night really doesn't agree with me these days.

I don't drink never liked it not sure why theres pressure when it's a choice if you do or dont

This will be my 5th sober Christmas.

My first one I was 4 months sober. It was 2021 so thanks to Omicron there was not masses of socialising in the run up, but Christmas Day was the hardest in the 4 months to that point. I got myself some nice AF fizz and drank that over the day.

The 2nd year I got the fizz and had a small glass or 2

Last year and the year before I can’t even remember what I had to drink, water and a cup of tea I think!

It just gets easier as time passes and AF drinks helped me with the FOMO

i find playing it forward helps - on a night out imagine how shit the drinkers will feel
the next day when you’re fresh.

no one ever wakes up sober and says “oh you know what, I really regret not boozing last night”.

Good luck dig deep you can do it

I was the same as you, realised it was becoming a habit and wanted to nip it in the bud. That was 2 years ago and I'm so glad I did. After the first year I felt quite emotional as I was relieved at my progress as felt I'd be quite dependent if I hadn't stopped. So you're doing great recognising where you're at and taking action.

Christmas is tricky as muscle memory makes you feel like you should be drinking, and there's more chat around it than normal. I was determined and got through the first one, hitting my 100 days sober in the February. I was so pleased. A goal like that can help. Good luck!

Thank you all so much for the tips :) think I'll get some nice drinks and nice extra snacks! I can choose not to drink its easy but I found i was doing it to relieve stress and I love Christmas but it has stressful elements ! So dont want to turn back to having a few

You get non alcoholic mulled wine, heat it up and get cozy. I also get Goodrays cbd drinks that are really relaxing. They have them in home bargains now

Ah yes non alcoholic versions are good idea too! And thank you I'll have a look for them as im quite an anxious person so anything relaxing is good for me aha x

I think a really important step is realizing that you don't need alcohol to counter stress. That's just an association you've built up out of habit, because of the circumstances when you usually drink are your leisure time. For example I used to have a drink on a Friday night. The kids were in bed, the uniforms in the wash, the lunch boxes clean, the kitchen tidy and I'd sit down in front of the telly with a drink. I thought it was the alcohol helping me relax but actually the act of sitting down on the couch to watch telly at the end of a busy day is the relaxing part! I just had to uncouple it in my mind.