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The winter holidays can become a difficult time for many people who are in recovery from alcohol dependency. Many holiday parties have a bar available or a signature cocktail, and sometimes the party host forgets to provide non-alcoholic options. Here are some tips to help you stay on the path of recovery and still celebrate the season.
1. Go back to your childhood traditions. Think back to when you were a kid, what did you love about this season back then? Maybe it was baking cookies or ice-skating, or a creamy hot chocolate full of marshmallows. Bring out your inner child and celebrate the traditions from your youth!
2. Make new traditions. If alcohol played a big role in your previous holidays, it might help to create some new traditions for yourself. Try a new recipe for Christmas dinner or go for a long hike. One of my favorite traditions that my husband brought to our family is getting up before the sun on New Years’ Day and taking photos of the first sunrise of the new year.
3. Keep a non-alcoholic drink on hand. If you plan to attend any holiday parties this year (please be safe, wear a mask and limit gatherings to less than 10 people) you may feel pressure from the other guests to have a drink, or your host may forget to provide non-alcoholic options One way to combat this is to come prepared with your own drinks. You could stick to soda and water, but if you want something more interesting, you could make some mocktails. We’ve included some mocktail recipes for you at the end of this article.
4. Gently remind your friends about your sobriety. If your friends or family try to serve you alcohol, either unwittingly or on purpose, gently remind them of the hard work and dedication you’ve put in to get this far. Say something like “I appreciate the gesture, but I’m happy with my sparkling lime water. I’ve worked so hard to get sober, and I’m going to stay sober. I would really appreciate your support in this.”
5. Spend time reflecting on why you chose to get sober, and how far you’ve come. The winter weather can make us a little moody and contemplative, especially after the holiday season when we still have weeks of winter to get through but no holidays to look forward to. If you find yourself feeling down, take some time to reflect or journal about your sober journey and how much of an accomplishment you’ve achieved just by ending an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Pat yourself on the back – you deserve it!

Click here for three delicious Mocktail Recipes!