Seven Top Tips to Enjoy an Alcohol-Free Christmas
Christmas festivities often include alcohol in some way. Whether it's an alcoholic Christmas pudding or mulled wine and mince pies, alcohol plays a central role. But it does not have to. In fact, last year, 37% of adults in the UK chose to stay sober at Christmas. The festive season is about a lot more than just booze.
So, if you are wondering how you can stay sober this festive season, here are seven top tips to help you enjoy an alcohol-free Christmas.
Find the Joy in Missing Out
One of the big things many people worry about when they quit drinking alcohol is missing out. But instead of being afraid of missing out, why not get excited for all the brilliant things you will gain instead? By flipping your mindset, you won’t feel like you are missing out. Instead, you can enjoy the abundance of new experiences and Christmas joy you get from avoiding alcohol this Christmas.
Finding the joy in missing out (the JOMO) is the best way to enjoy an alcohol-free Christmas. With a JOMO mindset, you will be astonished by all the different Christmassy things that can bring you joy. So, don’t focus on what you are avoiding, focus on what you are gaining.
Remember What Christmas is About
Christmas and the festive season means something different to everyone. But somewhere in the process, you might have accidentally let it turn into a booze-fest. So, to enjoy your alcohol-free Christmas in the best way possible, tune into what makes Christmas feel like Christmas for you. Some of the things that could make Christmas feel special to you include:
Spending time with family, chosen family and friends
Spending time feeling cosy, relaxing and taking care of yourself
Eating all sorts of delicious festive foods
Embracing the season of gifting
Religious Christmas ceremonies and traditions
If you know why Christmas is special for you, you can find the traditions that will make Christmas festive and fun. All without the need for alcohol.
Focus on Your Family and Friends
For many people, Christmas is a time to cherish family, friends and chosen family. So whether you are celebrating with your family, friends, housemates or people you just met in a hostel, take the time to enjoy being with the people you love.
After all, it is not the drinks you’ve had or the gifts you’ve received that you will remember, it is the time spent with your loved ones. So plan a family games night, decorate the Christmas tree together and decorate those cookies with each other.
Enjoy the Small Festive Things
There are so many small things you can enjoy about Christmas. So, to make the most of a sober Christmas, focus on the small festive things that make Christmas fun, festive and full of cheer.
There are so many of these small, festive things, but here are just a few things you can do and focus on to feel more Christmassy:
Christmas music
Christmas movies
Christmas lights
Advent calendars
Christmas snacks, biscuits and chocolate
Christmas crackers and cracker jokes
Christmas TV specials
Christmas carolling
Warm jumpers, hats and scarves
Fill your life with all sorts of small Christmas things, and you will be filled with Christmas cheer!
Find an Alcohol-Free Drink You Love
Christmas is all about food and drinks, so prepare early and choose which alcohol-free drinks you want to drink this festive season. Nowadays, there are over 500 different alcohol-free spirits alone, so even without drinking alcohol, you won’t have to miss out on delicious, sophisticated drinks.
Why not make some festive alcohol-free cocktails? Or enjoy one of the delicious alcohol-free sparkling wines now available? If you are more into beer, cider or mead, don’t worry, these exist without alcohol too!
If you want some inspiration for delicious alcohol-free drinks you can enjoy this year, check out the JOMO blog and bottle shop. And the best thing is, you can have the same tasty drinks, but without the annoyance of a hangover the next day!
Spread Festive Cheer to Others
Doing something for someone else is a surefire way to make both of you feel good. And spreading kindness and cheer is contagious, so they will pass this cheer on too. So what better way to enjoy an alcohol-free Christmas than to spread the festive cheer?
There are many ways to give to others and spread cheer at Christmas. You could make or buy a Christmas gift, make a batch of cookies, or invite someone over for a festive alcohol-free drink. Something I personally love to do is to surprise loved ones with Christmas stockings on Christmas morning.
You can also pass on the Christmas cheer to strangers by decorating your house and garden, going Christmas carolling, or simply being kind.
Christmas and wintertime can be particularly difficult for people in need. So why not volunteer at a soup kitchen for homeless people, or fill up a shoebox with Christmas gifts in this year's Shoebox appeal?
The options are endless, but doing things for others is a way to make you and them feel good and full of the Christmas Spirit. We don’t want any Scrooges here!
Take Some Time for Yourself
Christmas can be a little frantic and busy. If you have ever been in the supermarket on Christmas Eve, you can see how much it can frazzle people. But it is also the end of a busy year and one of the few times working adults often get off work. So, it is important to rest and take care of yourself too.
To make the most of your sober Christmas, plan some self-care moments and time to rest. You can do a nice facemask, read a book or take a luxurious lie in. But by being kind to yourself and taking space to recharge, you will enjoy the Christmas festivities much more.
Treat Yourself to A JOMO Alcohol-Free Subscription
Overwhelmed by the number of alcohol-free drinks now available and not sure which will taste nice? Then look no further than the JOMO subscription box. With a JOMO subscription, you will receive a box of alcohol-free drinks to taste test each month.
Each box contains a full-sized bottle of an alcohol-free spirit, alongside the ingredients for a delicious cocktail, complete with mixers, garnish and snacks. The box also contains several pre-mixed, ready-to-drink alcohol-free beverages to sample. This way, you can taste-test a range of alcohol-free drinks and find the drink you are excited to enjoy during your low-booze or booze-free Christmas.