A clearer Christmas: How to survive the festive season sober
Ireland and alcohol: a pairing so familiar it’s become a global stereotype. But the social landscape is changing, and with it, our drinking habits. Sarah Finnan explores how to survive the festive season sober
“Go on, go on, go on…” A line immortalised by Mrs Doyle in Father Ted, and one that now neatly captures the Irish approach to persuasion – especially where alcohol is involved. In those instances, “No,” is rarely considered a full sentence. A bit of gentle arm-twisting is not only acceptable but appreciated. It’s all part of the fun, right? I disagree.
Our bond with the bottle — and no, not the milk one — starts young. If you went to a Catholic primary school, alcohol was framed as strictly off-limits; something God Himself would want you to abstain from. The thought of burning in hell over a sip of blue WKD hardly seemed worth it to me, so at twelve, I swore off drink – delivering my pledge with the solemnity of a man under oath. My commitment remained steadfast… until I got to secondary school. There, I quickly learned that drinking was a kind of social currency, and refraining set you apart.
