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**startingover** · December 24, 2008, 02:37 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Hiya Sausage, yes its my first sober Christmas too. Like you, we often started on champers first thing. So this year will be very different. But it will be ok...at least I wont be feeling ill after lunch!
I like to walk on Christmas day, always have so this time it will be a walk rather than a stumble..
I am hoping no-one pressures me to have "just one" but I will deal with it with grace if they do...
Have a lovely day today Sausage and all to come...

**kaponium** · December 24, 2008, 04:15 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Hiya daily Afers! Happy Christmas Eve....Saus, when I am in recovery my fitness regime is the same as my drinking when I am not in recovery - quite simply it matters NOT what the day is or the occasion! SO YES!! I will be walking to the beach tomorrow (CHristmas) morning, for exercise and to give thanks for another sober awakening....I find a great deal of spirituality being near the ocean, and the natural endorphin release is its own buzz! Yay for us for the solidarity of Festive Sobriety! Bless x

**brittzak** · December 24, 2008, 05:43 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Merry Christmas all...my first sober Chirstmas in 3 years...feels good to be back...feels GREAT actually.

**Cinders** · December 24, 2008, 07:00 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Hello, Abbers!!

I, too, am looking forward to a sober Christmas with my family.

No one will be drunk, the kids will be having a ball, and I will remember every single bit of it!!

Lots to do today, so won't be around a lot but know I will be thinking of you all.

Hope I can check in later.

Love,
Cindi

**Tiresias** · December 24, 2008, 07:40 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Time to get some shopping done.

I can't believe some of these stores aren't open yet.

Season's Greetings to all.

**A Work in Progress** · December 24, 2008, 07:47 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Sausage, I imagine it is so difficult to keep your commitment to stay free from alcohol when your friends, and your husband, think it's OK to pressure you to drink... I hope that someday you will find a way to communicate to them that it really isn't OK... clearly, you still feel pretty vulnerable (or apprehensive, as you said) to that kind of pressure. But you have come through this kind of thing, with flying colors, before. You can do the same this time, if you so choose!

I need to buy some things for Mother today, and go see her, and take her out to Macy's or somewhere like that. Utterly dreading it. Will do it anyway, and will not drink!

**Cinders** · December 24, 2008, 08:04 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

WIP,

I hope your day goes better than you can begin to imagine. I pray your mom feels good today and is pleasant.

You have friends here who care.

Love.
Cindi

**Doggygirl** · December 24, 2008, 08:05 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Hello everyone and Seasons Greetings!

ETA: Run and make yourself a sandwich!!

Kap, why didn't I realize before that you are also from New Zealand? I apologize to you because on any number of occassions I have said things like (oh and it's the next day for Mame...) and you must have thought I was a horrid louse! I hope you will accept my apologies.

Like you Kap - exercise has been critical to my recovery and I love how it makes me feel (especially after I'm done LOL!) So I will be going to Curves this morning - no work pressures today so I will wait until the sun is up since the roads might be iffy. Tomorrow I will take a guilt free day off of "official" exercise but might take the camera and go for a walk through the state park that borders my Mom & Dad's place. Should be really beautiful with all the snow we've had!! So thank you startingover for mentioning the walk-not-stumble idea.

Brit I always love to hear from people who DO know what it's like to have a sober holiday from past experience. It sounds like you have a wonderful outlook this year of being thankful for what you have and also helping others. We can all learn from that.

I HAVE NEVER READ ANY POSTS FROM ANYONE THAT SUGGEST IT'S WORTH DRINKING BECAUSE IT'S CHRISTMAS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT WORTH DRINKING ON ANY OTHER DAY. Not one. Every single post I have ever read on this subject from people who, for whatever reason, chose to drink (when they acknowledge they cannot moderate or drink at all) is filled with remorse over that decision. Sausage I know you can do this sober! You have done 250 some sober days this year, right? Have you ever regretted NOT drinking at any events? Did booze ever make anything better or more enjoyable than being sober did?

I can relate to the champagne for breakfast and downhill from there Christmases. Have had lots of those. Let's see - here's how it went last year.

I'm an early riser, so I'm sure I was in the kitchen by 6AM doing last minute cooking of stuff to take with to my Mom & Dads. We brought wine and champagne to Mom & Dads (even though they would have preferred me to just have a glass or two of the hot spiced wine that they always make). So I know I didn't open that. But I was hungover (I know I was - because I was hungover EVERY morning in my drinking days) and wanted some hair of the dog to get the day started. So by default, it would have been vodka. I didn't even bother to mix it with orange juice or anything even remotely "civilized." I'm sure I was drinking it with lemon juice and some water - that was good enough for me anytime of day.

So...arrive and Mom and Dad's LATE of course - had to get in a bit more of the hard stuff before leaving, and Mr. Doggy was of course partaking of his vice too - a little more before we go. When we arrive, a part of me hopes that nobody can notice I'm already trashed, but the bigger part of me doesn't really care. It's Christmas - what the hell. I politely have a glass of hot spiced wine with Mom and Dad then quickly get the wine bottles open. It's pretty much a haze after that. I didn't get falling down drunk, but I was so busy trying to keep my shit together and appear as sober as possible that I couldn't really pay much attention to the conversation or my nephew's antics or any of that. "We" of course opened the champagne after dinner (which is in the afternoon at Mom & Dad's on Christmas) and "we" which was mostly "me" drank up the whole bottle.

I don't recall anything about the drive home or anything after we got home. I'm sure I passed out and left the evening dog chores and anything else to Mr. Doggy.

The day after Christmas? Repeat. The only difference was no champagne and no need to work quite as hard to "appear" more sober than I was. I was glad the holiday was over - this time so I could get back to drinking my life away in the peace and quiet and privacy of my own house.

So...there you have it. That's what a "holiday drink" would mean for me tonight for Christmas Eve or tomorrow for Christmas Day. While my past holiday drinking behavior was embarrasing to say the least, it didn't wreck my family or result in a DUI or vehicular manslaughter as has happened to many others on this festive holiday. This is yet another reason for me to count my blessings. It is also another reason to never drink again, holiday or not.

So right here and now, I am making a promise to all of you, my AF friends, and most importantly to myself that I will not drink alcohol today or tomorrow. This will be my first completely sober Christmas since I was a teen. And that is that. My solemn word. Sausage? You with me? Everyone?

ETA: Hello to WIP - Like Cinders I am hoping the day exceeds your expectations. But even if it doesn't, you have a good attitude. The time will pass at the same speed today whether you have a good attitude or a bad one. It will simply pass more pleasantly with a good one.

Hello to Cinders - I hope you have a wonderful day with your family!

Tiresias - LOL! You mean they weren't open all night last night???? I'm out of touch with the gift exchange business and Retail Therapy action at this time of year!

I hope we will all make this promise together, and keep it. We CAN (we've already proven that over and over), but will we choose to? ETA: :b&d:

DG

**retteacher** · December 24, 2008, 08:14 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

First & foremost: Merry SOBER Christmas to everyone on this thread. I love you all more than I can say. When I go over in my head what I'm thankful for, it's my MWO family of abstainers.

This will be my second sober Christmas, because last year I was sober throughout the whole holiday season & into March. This year I'll be looking at sober for the holiday season & the whole of 2009.

DGirl: I loved your discription of last year's Christmas day. I too have done just that, & the strain of trying to appear sober took all the joy out of the holiday. There will be no strain this year...just pure, unmitigated fun. I know I can do it, because I did it last year.

I'm going to try to check back later. I have a ton of cooking to do for tomorrow. Tonight is church & a very quiet evening w/friends.

Mary

**A Work in Progress** · December 24, 2008, 08:22 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Thanks, Cindi, and I am so glad to hear you feeling so much better.

And it's nice, hearing that so many of us are into exercise! I'll be doing a couple of miles on the treadmill today (it snowed again last night... ) and 30 minutes or so on the rowing machine tomorrow. Makes a huge difference in my mood, etc.

Had a few shaky alcohol thoughts/cravings the last couple of days... Late in the afternoon, yesterday, one friend came over to pick up her Christmas present from me, and brought a bottle of wine... but she knows I am not drinking, I just keep it in the house for company, and when I am having book club (she's a book club buddy), etc. She had a glass while we sat and talked, and I had none. It was fine. I would be at risk for a pretty bad struggle if I kept whisky in the house, so I don't. And I usually put some salt in any leftover wine, then keep it in the fridge, for cooking.

DG, thanks for your run-down of "a drink on Christmas"! Sounds terribly familiar... My mother always wants/wanted a Bloody Mary while opening presents, early Christmas morning; of course she and I were both hung over then (as was my father, while he was still with us) from the many, many drinks of Christmas Eve... then I would open and sip wine all day while cooking Christmas dinner... then cocktails when it got closer to 4 or 5pm... then, eventually, Christmas dinner, during which everyone was so "well oiled" that nobody really enjoyed it, but everyone tried to pretend they did. Then the massive cleanup, while feeling crappy. I remember the whole shebang feeling like a sort of bleary combination of being drunk and being hung over at the same time. Utterly disgusting.

So: a drink on Christmas (or Christmas Eve)? NO WAY!

**Marshy** · December 24, 2008, 08:48 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Hello all,

I think I'll plonk myself on this thread for a while to help boost my Christmas defences. I'm not going to drink but am finding it a tough time of year, and last drank on Sunday so it's still a recent memory.

I'm spending tomorrow with good friends, some of whom don't drink, some do, but there'll be no pressure for me to drink. Might pop an Antabuse before I go just in case. Then I'm at work on Fri & Sat so that will keep me out of trouble.

Last Christmas I was with my parents. I was AF for the day (cracked on Boxing Day, I seem to remember), but my parents are both big drinkers and there were chunks of the day that it later became apparent they had no memory of at all, which made me feel quite sad. Not that I haven't done exactly the same thing myself hundreds of times.

Hope everyone has a good, sober day. (Wip, I hope your day works out better than you think it might. You're a stronger woman than I where having wine in the house is concerned and being able to leave it alone. I think I'd probably even drink it if it had salt in. Geez.)

**ready2change** · December 24, 2008, 08:52 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Happy Xmas eve to all!! It will be a quiet xmas for me as well. Just me and hubby. Going to cook a turkey breast and yams and a salad. Then off to see Marley and Me. I read the book and I KNOW I'm gonna need a box of tissues...along with plenty of laughs. A must see for all you dog lovers. I have 4 days off and plan to get lots of things done that I have been procrastinating on.

This will be a sober holiday for me. Hubby says he will quit (again) after New Years. I hope so, as his physical last month was all "borderline". I only hope he takes that seriously.

Everyone be safe and have the best Christmas EVER...especially those celebrating it sober for the first time in a while. It will be so worth it.

Unfortunately, my excercise is limited to walking right now, as I injured my shoulder, but am in physical therapy, so hopefully can resume my gym workout soon! It's an easy fix, so I'm thankful it didn't require surgery.

Hugs...R2C

**retteacher** · December 24, 2008, 09:03 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

WIP: Your description of the effects of all that drinking on Christmas Day is so right on. I just kept AL in my system all through the day until I finally threw myself into bed completely bleary-eyed. What's the point in that? Merry Christmas & Happy New Year. Mary

**caysea** · December 24, 2008, 09:09 AM

AF Daily Wednesday, December 24th

Hi All
REJOICE REJOICE
I am listening to Christmas music and this is playing.Yes I can REJOICE this Christmas at having found this site .I had the desire to stop drinking but if it was not for the support and education I have found here I would still be stumbling along.This site has given me my life back and this site is all of you.I thank you all for the Christmas present of sobriety. It is amazing how someone can put into words something they are doing to fight this problem and it can help so many people without that person realizing it.

My Christmas wish for all here is that you find your key to dealing with this problem. Merry Christmas to all and thank you.

Stay Healthy and Keep Fighting
AF 5-16-08

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