'For the first time in my adult life, I am going to have a booze-free Christmas'
Decide on how much you are going to drink during a party or a session. Know your limit.
A few months ago, I wrote in this paper about mindfully giving up alcohol. For the first time in my adult life, I am going to have a booze-free Christmas.
I don’t regard myself as an alcoholic, but like 70% of Irish adults, alcohol was part of my social life and I enjoyed it very much. From time to time, I could be called a binge drinker, this is defined as taking six alcoholic drinks in one day.
But now I actually enjoy life without alcohol. It has become the norm for me.
Most people associate Christmas with drinking alcohol. It is a time of year which provides more opportunities to have a few extra tipples. Overdoing it on food and drink is acceptable. After all, in Ireland, we are in the “Bleak Mid-Winter”.
As has happened on many occasions over the past 10 months, I have to think about alcohol at Christmas. Will I or won’t I drink? My wife wonders if I would like to take a break from my self-imposed abstinence.
I think about it. The idea is attractive. But I remember my reason for quitting: my physical and mental well-being, and the contentment I find in life without alcohol.
Christmas can be both the best and worst time of year. Alcohol plays a role here. It can help people get more fun and enjoyment from Christmas.Â
But for many, it has the opposite effect. Alcohol can lead to conflict, “the Christmas row”, domestic violence, accidents, and a great deal of alcohol-related damage in the home and community.
Parents do their best to make Christmas as happy as possible for their children. But very often, alcohol-related behaviour can ruin everything. My late mother didn’t have good memories of her childhood Christmases because of her father’s drinking. She tried to make ours as happy as possible, and she succeeded.
I think there can be a kind of stigma attached to non-drinkers in this country. If you are not taking alcohol, people wonder are you an alcoholic, pregnant, driving, on medication, or just a killjoy and a bore. Not drinking alcohol should be seen as a positive lifestyle choice. Leave the non-drinker alone. We don’t need alcohol to enjoy life and have a great Christmas.
People look forward to drinking alcohol at Christmas. Some of the alcohol advertising reminds us to “Drink sensibly”. But what does this mean in practice? I think it means drinking mindfully and taking a “harm reduction” approach in our use of alcohol.
The following are some ideas to help you to enjoy alcohol and to drink sensibly.
First of all, decide on how much you are going to drink during a party or a session. Know your limit. It can be difficult to stick to your plan. After a few drinks motivation wanes and you are influenced by the party atmosphere and the heaviest drinker in the group. Someone says, “OK, just one more for the road!” You quickly lose control and ditch your plan. But don’t give up. Make sure the plan works the next time.
Secondly, set yourself a budget for the amount you are going to spend on alcohol. You are not being mean when you do this, you are being “sensible”. Bring cash, or a debit card. Don’t buy drink with your credit card, that’s too easy and you will feel the financial pain next year.
Thirdly, know the drink that suits you best. There's no need to switch from a pint to a short just because someone else does. Drink plenty of water and opt for a non-alcoholic drink from time to time.
Fourthly when going to a party or going out to the pub, it’s a good idea to have an “exit strategy”. You should have at least worked out how you are going to get home safely.
Finally, think about tomorrow. Will you be able to fulfil work or family commitments, or are you going to have to find more excuses as you explain your broken promises?
It is worth knowing that alcohol affects different personalities in different ways.
We have all seen what booze can do at the office party or the family gathering. The introvert becomes extrovert, the quiet one becomes garrulous, the reserved one becomes aggressive, the extrovert becomes a bit morose, and the sensible one loses control of the whole situation.Â
When people sober up, they wonder what happened and to whom should they apologise?
I am an admirer of Grace Dent. She is a well-known British food critic and is frequently a judge on BBC’s “Masterchef”. Recently, she wrote an article on giving up the booze.
Grace Dent says she is not an alcoholic. But she stopped drinking alcohol. She says: “The best gift I have ever given myself is learning to love life without booze.” She is looking forward to enjoying her third Christmas without alcohol.Â
I am looking forward to my first. Would you think about joining us non-drinkers? Happy Christmas to all.
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