Seven Tips for Staying Sober at New Year Celebrations

Christmas and New Year celebrations tend to be boozy knees-ups that involve next morning regrets and memory loss. Whether it’s an office party or a get together with friends and family you’ve not seen much of over the past year, alcohol is almost certainly going to be part of the picture. If you’re on a sober journey or maintaining your sober status, the festive season can be one of the most difficult of the whole year. In the absence of hosting your own alcohol-free New Year party, you can still celebrate with the rest of the world while maintaining your sober style.

Celebrate in sober style. Photo by Deva Williamson on Unsplash

Plan ahead

If you’ve allocated some days as alcohol-free to maintain your conscious drinking, or are simply sober year-round, it helps to have a New Year plan in terms of your alcohol-free consumption.

Choose your engagements carefully — not every invite needs to be accepted. If you’re not feeling strong in your sobriety, it’s more than OK to bow out and decline an invite. It can be scary to be around temptation. Developing the strength to say ‘no’ and protect your sobriety is an important part of the sober journey. This doesn’t just mean saying no to booze but also saying no to situations that aren’t going to be supportive of your choice for a clear and sober view of life.