pattyj

Honestly, how were your first sober holidays?
I tried to quit last year but ended up drunk on both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The closer it gets the more I think about it. I have a good 7 months under my belt and a great support system but I still think about it.
I have read the 'Thanksgiving Survival Guide.' But I want to know how your first sober holiday actually was? Thanks!

Coldfusion

I got involved in social events with my AA group. Outings and parties are not normal for me, so it was very different from staying home and getting drunk.

doggonecarl

Think about what? Drinking over the holidays?

Don't think about drinking or failure.

Have you heard of the power of positive thinking? Well it works both ways. There is the power of negative thinking and half the posts on SR demonstrate just how powerful it is.

You have seven months. You know how to do it. You can get through the holidays sober unless you decide otherwise.

Imabuleva

I spent my first sober holidays in a diaper, as I was a little over half a year old at the time.

Puts things into perspective...

ScottFromWI

I drank all the time, wherever I was and whatever day of the week it was. Having said that holidays were generally an excuse to drink even more as others were drinking around me - albeit none of them nearly as much as me.

I viiew them now as an opportunity to see people i might not have in a while and to participate in games, conversations, activities that I would have missed out on because I was too busy finding ways to drink without people knowing how much I was drinking.

So I guess bottom line for me, just do what you do on normal days to keep sober - but enjoy the special people and places you will go/things you will do as you don't get to do them every day.

dwtbd

Aside from my childhood experiences I will let you know

Over the years the 'holidays' and vacations and such were always reasons to continue drinking ie " I will quit after such and such.." or " I can't quit because this is coming up" ect. This will be the first time in years I will be sober over the holidays, but I do not think it will much different from the time I spend on a day to day basis now. Except perhaps larger/different menu choices. I choose not make things/ situations into 'triggers'.

mecanix

Mt first sober holidays …
put the phone off the hook , turned off the mobile , stocked up my cupboards for at least 2 weeks worth of food and groceries , bought a several dvd film sets and x-box games . topped up the gas and electricity key meters (a pay up front system in the UK) , had a few frozen pizzas in the freezer . Put SR on the computer , and spent all of it eating yummy food , watching interesting films / series, playing games, chatting to SR'ers , mates and family via e-mail … it was great fun

Bestwishes, m

chaili05

Luckily I never really drank around family or at family events so I don't see this holiday season being an issue too much. I could be surprised but I feel pretty confident

I like everyone's brainstorming ideas- I'll put in a little "safety plan" just in case.

hayley86

Last Christmas was my first sober one in years. I treated it like any other day and did what was necessary to make sure that i stayed sober. It was peaceful and fun, very different to when i was drinking.

keithj

I very much remember my first sober holidays. I had gotten sober in the summer, had worked through most of the 12 Steps by then. Thanksgiving I hosted a bunch of friends in AA, and that Christmas I flew home for the first time in many years to make amends to friends and family from that time in my life. It was an amazing experience that still sticks with me many years later.

Dee74

My first sober holidays were great. I stayed home, but had a good time nonetheless.

If you feel vulnerable and you simply can't make other plans, at last have a plan yourself...think about likely situations and how to handle them...have people to call...if you're in AA have meetings planned...and above all, have an escape plan.

The fact you drank last year means nothing...start a new tradition this year

D

pattyj

Thank you all! I love all of the suggestions! New traditions, it's just like any other day, being positive that I will make. It's just nervewracking if I make a bigger deal about it then it is. Thanks again!

soberclover

I got sober right around Thanksgiving so I was in really early recovery; but I was also recovering from a pretty significant head/brain injury due to my last drinking episode. I remember feeling pretty raw but being very grateful my family was still talking to me. Savor the holiday season sober....I'm sure you will notice many more sights, sounds, and smells that you didn't notice before.

Marcher13

I'm excited about being sober over the Christmas/New Year break, all those beautiful summer mornings won't be wasted in sleeping or recovering, I'll be swimming in the ocean instead. Sobriety has also made me discriminating, I'm not going to anything that is just a booze up.

SpartanGreen

I've always dreaded holidays because they intruded on my ability to be a drunken recluse. I'll never forget, one Thanksgiving, I pretended like I had the flu so I could get out of going to my then girlfriend's parents house for dinner. I even managed to throw up to sell it, even though I was only throwing up because of how much I had drank the night before. I got out of going and I sat at home and drank by myself all day.

I should be exactly two weeks sober this Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to actually enjoying the day with my family. My mom will be thrilled when I tell her I've gone two weeks without a drink.

MIRecovery

I had a dry house and did not go to any drinking event. It was absolutely wonderful

pattyj

I am starting to look forward to Thanksgiving. I have made plans to spend it at the movie theaters and catch up on all the films that have recently come out. My dad is coming with me and it is something we used to do when I was a kid. The rest of my family is busy with in-laws but I'm really excited about this. And then the Fri., Sat., and Sun., right after Thanksgiving is a conference for recovery/AA/Al-anon. My first one so that should be fun. Thanks again for all of the advice! I guess it really is what you make of it.

dwtbd

I wish you and everyone else Happy holidays, even if we have to do something to make them that way