The holiday season has well and truly started and the pressure to drink too much is all around us. The temptation is just to go with the flow and then reset with a Dry January, but let’s think out of the box for a moment:
- How about we play it a bit differently this year?
- How about we resist the brainwashing – and get smart.
- How about we unplug from the matrix?
- How about being a rebel not a sheep?
- How about doing a Dry December!
Here are some reasons WHY you should try a Dry December together with some advice HOW to do it.
Reasons Why You Should Do a Dry December
December Is Always a Busy Time
The chances are that whatever your lifestyle you will be busy – busy socially, and of course busy creating that “perfect Christmas” for your family. If you give up alcohol for December, you can actually claw back a lot of time. Time is usually devoted to planning the drinking, drinking and getting over the drinking.
Be on Top of the Wave
Everybody does “Dry January” but only the seriously cool people do “Dry December” and then start the new year feeling fantastic – rather than exhausted and poisoned with excess food and alcohol. You also get to join the rest of the world for Dry January, feeling rather smug as you already have plenty of alcohol-free days under your belt!
You Will Reduce Your Stress as You Take Control
You will sleep better and steam through your to-do list and even begin to feel slightly superior to your pals as they struggle with their hangovers. If your friends give you a hard time, just tell them you are doing 30 alcohol-free days to raise money for charity which you can do by signing up for Tribe Sober’s Annual Fundraiser here.
No Anxiety to Deal with
You won’t have that anxiety in your heart about the amount you are drinking and the nagging thought that you really must do something about it come January – you will be way ahead of the game this year.
You Will Lose Weight!
We are surrounded by super-fattening foods during December and after a glass of wine or two we just get stuck in. Staying sober means you can stay in control of what you are eating and drinking. As an extra bonus, you can opt out of the dieting misery train that we are all supposed to board come January 1st.
You Get to Enjoy What Really Matters
A lot of people worry that they cannot enjoy themselves without alcohol but think about it. We give far too much credit to alcohol. What makes a good Christmas? Being with your family and seeing the joy on the children’s faces as they open their presents or numbing out with booze?
Just Experiment
At the very least, an alcohol-free Christmas will be an interesting experiment – even if you hate it, you will have tried – and who knows, you may even decide to make a lifestyle change and go alcohol-free.
How to Do a Dry December – Some Tips!
If this is your first Sober Christmas, then turn it into a Challenge. Lower your expectations and don’t expect to enjoy it in quite the same way as usual. Your goal is simply to get through December without alcohol. Your joy will come flooding in on January 1st when you wake up hangover free with no regrets and feeling proud of yourself – and ready to face 2025 with energy and optimism!
So how do you do it, exactly?
Stock Up on Alcohol-Free Drinks
There are so many delicious alcohol-free choices around these days. Get a box delivered, fill up the fridge and experiment. Make some mocktails for the whole family – they can add alcohol to theirs if they wish!
Get a Tracker
Although we can get sober trackers on our phones, there is something motivating about a paper tracker. You can colour in the alcohol-free days as you complete them and keep an eye on the big picture. Stick it on the fridge and get the family to help you stay on track. If you would like to get one of our December trackers then just email janet@tribesober.com and request a December Tracker.
Remember That Christmas Is Just One Day
Mark Christmas Day and any parties you will be attending on your tracker. Make a plan to get through those events alcohol-free. Look at the whole month and notice that most of the days in December are just regular days! Don’t despair if you have a slip-up. Mark it on your tracker and get right back on the bus the next day.
Just Do It
Action is the key, so at least get through those first few days in December “alcohol-free.” If you can’t manage it, then maybe you do need to seriously think about addressing your relationship with alcohol.
How Tribe Sober’s Annual Fundraiser Works
To help you on your way to alcohol-free life, Tribe Sober has launched its 9th Annual Fundraiser for the Earthchild Project which helps disadvantaged children in South Africa. Just $16 provides an underprivileged child with yoga & life-skills classes for a whole year.
While helping a child that needs support, you get online community support for 30 alcohol-free days. The Fundraiser is open from the 1st December to 31st January so you can do a “Dry December” or a more traditional “Dry January.”
Just make a small donation to Earthchild by clicking here, and we’ll get right back to you for your preferred dates for the 30 days of support. You can start the challenge right now or choose a 30-day window that suits you – right up to January 31st – so you can even do a Dry February!
If you’d like to change your relationship with alcohol and join an international community then check out Tribe Sober.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Do you take regular breaks from alcohol to improve your health and test your dependence? Does the thought of doing an alcohol-free month make you anxious? Were you aware that the low-risk guideline is just a bottle and a half of wine a week?
