GnikNus

Inexplicably, I first got sober at the beginning of December in 2014. I had Thanksgiving, Christmas, my birthday, and New Years to get through. I had plenty of excuses to drink, but thankfully SR got me through.
This will be my third holiday season, and I do not miss alcohol being a part of them. I enjoy them more, since massive hangover and general feelings of mental and physical exhaustion are no longer a part of my holiday experience. Plenty has replaced alcohol:

General anticipation of the holidays

Food- making sweets and holiday themed non alcoholic beverages.

Seeing my kids get excited about the season and knowing I'll be present to share in it with them.

Creating a warm and cosy holiday environment and enjoying the clarity that has come with sobriety.


It can be hard at first to separate alcohol from the holidays, but it gets easier. Eventually, you can't imagine alcohol being a part of them- knowing they would make the experience less enjoyable, not more.

RoyGBiv

This is an excellent idea; last Thanksgiving I was both sober and alone, my kids were with the ex. So I went hiking at a local state park and covered about 17 miles in just under 6 hours. I didn't see another person all day, wildlife was out and about as there were no people.. even followed some wild turkeys for a quarter mile, how fitting for the day.

It was a wonderful way to spend the holiday, productive, good exercise, and I felt great about it during and after. I highly recommend something like this if you like to hike in general and need something to do that will burn up the day.

fred59

Roy I will be in that situation this year I was thinking about it this morning. I will be divorced and gone by thanksgiving, first one without the kids and her side of family in 29 years.

leasha24

The holidays are tough. I quit drinking December 8th last year but then slipped up at Christmas and indulged with the rest of my family and had some wine(thinking I could have just one glass- haha how many of us have thought that?) ....

My official sobriety date is 12.27.15 and getting through that New Year's Eve was really tough. I was recently single, alone, sad, mad that I couldn't drink; I logged onto SR that night and posted. It helped knowing that I had all my fellow SR friends there for me.

This year that's what I plan to do is reach out to everyone on the forum if I need to. Ill go to the parties with my pop or sparkling cider in hand so I have something to sip on....

Just know that we are always here for you. It helps knowing you're not the only one Struggling. You're not alone.

Optimini

Yes I agree, to keep the morning busy will be great. Then I'll be very hungry for food and I'll be sure to enjoy the holiday feast. I'll be with family, it's just there's alot of wine offered. I'll bring some non-alcoholic sparkling stuff.

uncorked

What are your best holiday memories? For many, it was when they were kids. Christmas was just so magical then. I had years of wonderful holidays without alcohol. That's how I look at it. Sobriety is a gift.

Berrybean

Exactly.

I feel like I have reclaimed Christmas from what it came to mean for me as an active alcoholic - one who stopped seeing family over Xmas because that would 'interfere with The Drinking' - and try to make it more about love (spending time with people I love) and being playful, and also spiritual. As a Christian who has 'come home' since starting my recovery journey, Christmas will be a special day regardless of anything else anyway. As far as the whole holiday season having to be fun and exciting, to be honest, even as a kid I'd be getting restless and was always ready to go back to school before the end of the holidays, so to expect it to all be fun now, in my 40s, well, that'd be asking for a let down I reckon. I'm looking forward to it, but with a big dollop of reality in there.