As the festive season reaches its peak, it is easy to slump back into old habits just to get through it, or to amplify the excitement of the occasion. We have so many associations lurking in our subconscious, waiting to trigger a habit that will take us back down a well-worn path before we even realise it.
We are in a room full of people we have not seen in months, maybe years. Mariah is belting out her top Christmas tunes (or maybe Bublé is more your style), everyone is gearing up for a fun time, and the suggestion of a champagne mimosa at 10 am suddenly seems like the most innocent thing in the world.
Why not? You tell yourself. Why not! They tell you. It’s Christmas!
Why We Fall Back Into Old Habits at Christmas
In my experience, there are two main reasons people fall back into drinking at Christmas, especially if this is your first alcohol-free festive season.
1. Reward
Your inner saboteur starts leaping about with excitement. Yes, yes, yes! they say, giddy with anticipation. It’s CHRISTMAS! Followed by 20,000 thoughts about why you should drink. You happily let yourself be swept away in the excitement of it all, not stopping for even one thought about why it might not be a good idea.
2. Resignation
And if you are not in the giddy reward state of mind? Here, the associations of drinking, Christmas, relatives, and stress will accompany you down a spiral of resignation. You might put up a bit of a struggle, but as the day goes on and the stress rises, you lose your resolve. You need it, you deserve it, you will get back on track when it is over.
The reality is that Christmas is likely going to be one of your greatest challenges. But it is also an incredible opportunity. It is a time where you really get to know what you are capable of, where you have to dig deep and remind yourself, over and over, why drinking is not something you want to do anymore.
And if you can make it through without being seduced by reward or resignation, you will have added serious ammunition to your alcohol-free toolkit for every challenging occasion that follows.
5 Tips for Not Just Surviving but Actually Enjoying an Alcohol-Free Christmas
1. Have Your Drink of Choice on Hand at All Times
Make sure you have got all the ingredients, recipes you love, glasses, and ice ready before the day arrives. If you are heading to someone else’s place, take your own personal alcohol-free esky so you can quickly say “I am all set, thanks” when someone offers you a drink.
Having something you genuinely enjoy in your hand removes the awkward pause and the need to explain yourself to anyone.
2. Set Your Intention Before You Walk In
Before the event, take a moment to set a clear purpose for the day. For example: “My intention is to have a relaxing time feeling strong and good about myself” or “My purpose is to be fully present with everyone I meet today.”
Find something meaningful and specific, something that would genuinely be compromised if you had a drink. This is not about willpower. It is about having a reason that matters more than the trigger.
3. Have an Exit Strategy
On my first alcohol-free Christmas I drove, and when I was feeling anxious I would nip out to the car to get something. Just taking a few minutes away was enough to reset.
Give yourself permission to step away when you need to. Even two or three minutes alone is enough to change how you feel and what you decide next.
4. Take Deep Belly Breaths to Reset
Notice if your breathing has become shallow, which it often does when you are stressed. Begin to breathe deeply, right down into your belly so it expands fully. Take three to five big, slow belly breaths.
This resets your nervous system and gives you the clarity to pause and actually choose, rather than react. That gap between the urge and the decision is everything.
If you want to understand more about why alcohol cravings happen and what they really mean, it can make this pause even more powerful.
5. Be the Curious Detective
Approach the day like someone gathering information, not a person under threat. You are not there to judge yourself. You are there to notice.
How do you feel without alcohol? Are you calmer? More in control? Anxious? Jittery? Who do you enjoy speaking with? What or who triggers your stress? Can you notice your breath becoming shallow in those moments? Stop, pause, and pay attention.
It can be genuinely fascinating if you let yourself be curious.
After the Event: Write It Down
Once the day is over, take a few minutes to journal your experience. Note what you noticed and how you felt. Focus on the positives and on how well you did.
The act of writing reinforces new habits in your brain. Every time you reflect on a win, you make the next alcohol-free occasion a little easier to face.
One Last Thing
As I head into my third alcohol-free Christmas, I can promise you this: once you get through a period like this without drinking, most other occasions become much, much easier. You keep building on each success until you reach a point where the deep belly breathing becomes something you genuinely savour, as much as you once loved the drink.
Christmas is loud, full on, and emotionally charged. It is also one of the most powerful tests of your alcohol-free journey. Get through this one and you will know exactly what you are capable of.
If you are thinking about making real changes in the new year, read more about what it means to be a grey area drinker and whether it resonates with you.
Wishing you a relaxing and educational alcohol-free Christmas.
Love, Sarah
