Gin Advent calendar

[Pipotle]

Saw these being quite heavily promoted in Sainsburys today. Is it just me or is this a bit...wrong? Isn't it unethical to promote people drinking every single day for a month as part of some jolly festive activity?

We have a huge problem with alcohol in this country and stuff like this is just normalising it. I'm all for people being able to choose and moderate their own alcohol intake, drink a bit more sometimes for fun but be aware and intentional about it. We should all be mindful about alcohol; it's fun but it's also dangerous. But for a huge retailer to provide the structure and the social go-ahead with this calendar to drink EVERY DAY just seems a bit much.

Maybe I am overthinking it but I'm just a bit worried at how companies are finding ways to profit even more off of people's excessive alcohol intake and send social messages that it's all fine and fun... Wine o' clock/time for prosecco merch everywhere you look etc.

AIBU?

You can also get cheese advent calendars - what is your opinion on those given the obesity crisis we are facing in this country?
I think it's a bit daft getting your knickers in a twist over people getting a tiny sample of gin each day in an advent calendar.

If you don’t want a gin advent calendar don’t get one! I doubt anyone drinks the gin everyday anyway.
I think all these advent calendars with Lego or gin or whatever in then are over the top anyway but some people obvs like them.

I have a rum advent calendar, it’s by my bed so yes, I am drinking a small shot of rum every morning when I wake up.

Am I an alcoholic? No
Am I a binge drinker? No
Am I a heavy drinker? No
Do I have a healthy relationship with alcohol? Yes

If you don't like them don't buy them. I don't like a lot of things but wouldn't dream of stopping others.

As PP have said I doubt anyone with an alcohol problem would pay that price when they can get a bottle 1/10 of the cost.

I bought an alcohol advent calendar for DH. It cost £145. I could have bought many bottles for that price but the beauty is that you can taste a small amount of different types.

People are missing the point. It's about normalising alcohol consumption. Totally agree OP.

The whole gin, prosecco etc obsession is deathly dull

This.

Simon I would argue a healthy relationship with alcohol is a misnomer at the best of times.
I would also suggest drinking rum every morning is not an example of one. unless you are a pirate

Removing advent calendars won't change any 'normalising'. And to me I don't have a problem with it because I don't think hiding alcohol is healthy either.

Advent calendar's have changed recently because people want things leading up to Christmas hence the beauty, alcohol and other types.

Drinking alcohol is normal - people have been doing it since they learned how to make it!
We are adults and most of us are quite capable of drinking appropriately.

You can also get cheese advent calendars - what is your opinion on those given the obesity crisis we are facing in this country?

Not the same. Cheese isn’t poison. And the NHS doesn’t recommend having cheese free days, either.

OP, you’re not going to get a great reaction because people are very defensive over their alcohol drinking

If you don't like the calendar, or the idea - don't buy one.

For gin lovers it's an opportunity to try different gins - but at £60, or whatever it's discounted to, most alcoholics are likely to go for whatever is on special offer.

OP, you’re not going to get a great reaction because people are very defensive over their alcohol drinking

I don't care what others think of my drinking as I like both alcohol and non alcoholic drinks and as an adult I can choose what I do as long as it's legal. It's the policing of others that I dislike.

I'm really surprised at the reaction this has got! It was just a thought, quite softly worded and posed as a question. I never expected this level of anger back. I've no interest in condemning people who buy them or policing anyone else's alcohol intake, it was aimed at the retailers who are making a huge profit on these calendars by normalising excessive drinking.

it was aimed at the retailers who are making a huge profit on these calendars by normalising excessive drinking.

I don't agree with this.

It isn't excessive drinking. The amount is tiny a day compared to a buying a complete bottle.

It enables people to try a taster rather than purchasing a bottle of each. It's typical to pay more for something like this and some people are happy to pay for quality over quantity hence why someone with an alcohol issue would buy lots of cheaper bottles rather than a relatively dearer advent calendar.

I love my gin advent.

I like to try new gins and this is a good way to do it, 50ml bottles. I've only drunk 2 so far, both brands I hadn't had before.

Most will be drunk over the coming months when I fancy a particular gin. Certainly don't drink every day and I'm not going to start because I bought myself an advent calendar🤷‍♀️

Currently ASDA have prosecco discounted, then when you buy six bottles it's 25% off, so which way of spending your money is encouraging excessive alcohol?

Also it's not defensiveness of my alcohol consumption or relationship with alcohol it's being judged by people who have such a bad relationship with alcohol that they think this type of thing is an issue!

Maybe all the judges here can't drink responsibly and therefore have an issue of those that can.