The hardest time of year to stay sober for people who have recently stopped drinking alcohol is the Holiday season. In my first sober December I felt constantly reminded of my not drinking. Everyone seemed to be drinking all the time during the Holiday season and everywhere I looked alcohol was being celebrated. Christmas Cheer! Wrapped in red and tied with a big gold bow. Sticking to not drinking that first holiday season was treacherous at best. Sober serenity in the holiday season can be daunting!

I struggled that first December and thought seriously about taking a drink, which is why I jumped back into the support group that I’d left months before. I had felt that I had the sober thing nailed. But December rolled around and knocked me for a loop. I cannot stress how important it is to reach out. If you are committed to not drinking during the holiday season there is no need for you to go it alone.

I was feeling strong enough at first, but my resolve was quickly deteriorating the closer I got to Christmas Day. But by talking it through I found that I was only feeling the pull towards the idea of drinking and everyone else’s perception of it. It seems in our alcohol-soaked culture you are somehow wrong if you don’t drink and you have to have a reason.

My partner said he wasn’t going to drink on Christmas Day so I wouldn’t be the only one but his dad kept asking ‘why are you on your best behaviour’ and ‘we have a beer in grandad’s honour on Christmas day’ like it’s a talisman and a right. In the end he drank and I did not stop him. I don’t understand how a drug so insidious can be legal and defended as a life enhancer when it takes so much from so many people.

I try to think of myself as rebellious. I refuse to join in society’s soaking and show people that I am not wrong! I am not special! I choose not to drink. I choose to live!

This holiday season we are reaching out from our community, to encourage you to focus not on how hard it may feel to not drink, but on how GREAT it feels to be able to use the money you might spend on booze to give to children and families and people in need. The following poem inspired this outreach project and this post. We hope it will inspire you to feel GOOD about NOT drinking this Holiday Season. We hope that it will inspire you to refocus the poor me sentiment that some of us invariably feel into an I Can Help where it’s Needed! joyful empowerment. Sober Holiday Serenity! It’s all a matter of perspective.

Chose Life! Chose Charity! Break the Status Quo and Rethink the Drink. We’ve listed our favorite children’s charities at the end of the post – we hope that you will add yours as well either in the comments here on our WordPress blog, on our Facebook post, or here inside our community.

Give Up the Booze and Give Back Love –

Sober Serenity Holiday Season is all a Matter of Perspective

Poor me

Poor me I can’t drink
Such alot to be grateful for still though I think
After all
things can just change in a blink!
So isn’t it a bit selfish of me
To throw the toys out my pram
‘Cos I can’t have wine…

…really?

So when I’m feeling down
and want to childishly scream and shout
I’ll be thankful I’m not down and out

When I want to shut out the sound
Of my kid’s being loud
I should stop and just be so glad they’re around

I should stop wanting a self-pity award
And stop being so very self-absorbed

Poor me

I seem to be allergic
But not to food like shellfish or nuts
To a toxin that’s bad for me
Wine makes me sick
But
Is that a problem though really?

Poor me
I can’t drink alcohol at Christmas

Get real love!

There are people
who through no fault of their own
will be missing this

A Christmas in hospital for some
It’ll affect more than one
What more could be done

No presents for kids this year
Some parents are forced to say
As they wipe away a tear
How will they get through the holidays
They’ve too many bills to pay

Poor me
I can’t drink my favourite wine
on Christmas day!

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Cash for Kids UK

National Autistic Society UK

NACOA UK

Children’s Defense Fund US- International

Partners in Health US – International

Australian Children’s Charity Smith International

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More thoughts on Sober Holiday Season Serenity from the Boozemusings Community :

https://boozemusings.com/the-perfect-resource-for-alcohol-free-holiday-serenity/

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