If I could have a Christmas wish granted I think it would be for 100 of you just starting to be able to read my mind and see what I've seen from watching my wife go from circling the drain - financial, legal, physical, family problems... to happily married and the world's most devote mom who is focused every day on making herself better and helping others starting down the same path.
You can do it and ONLY you can do it. For my sweet wife it took seeing people who had been where she was and wanting what they have now. They were patient and kind before I could be and showed her the way while I was still busy asking those helpful questions like "WTF were you thinking!!!!???"
Your loved ones will come around. They may be mad, they may not be all warm and fuzzy at first but you can't be mad at someone you don't care about - ya gotta really care about someone to be truly upset with them. They may be scared to death for you and scared to trust that this time will be different and here's how you solve that in a day - YOU CAN'T! so don't sweat it and don't get mad at them. Just let them know that you are working to stay sober TODAY, one day at a time. Don't let the crossed arms or doubt **** you off, it is probably there for good reasons but they'll come around because like I said, they are rooting for you and the doubt and reluctance is them protecting themselves - if you don't love someone you don't care if they mean it or not.
Hang in there. Our gift to each other this christmas was the coffee bar from hell... makers, frothers, grinders, flavorings, glasses and we have a new ritual together to enjoy with a beverage that won't kill one of us. ...we just might not blink in 2014 ;-)
You don't drive your car staring in the rearview mirror, recovery is about getting it right today so you can get it right again tomorrow. Keep your eyes on the road ahead and follow the map those who've gotten where you want to be laid out. Don't be afraid of AA meetings either - took us a while to put our finger on it but finally we realized that the members used to be the life of the party and still are... it's just that everyone remembers the party now.