12 Tips on Keeping Your Holiday Sober and Joyous
Welcome to our first blog post! Holidays are upon us and from personal experience, I know how difficult it can be for many of us. I wanted to share with you an AA Grape Vine article that was given to me during my first year of sobriety; It was helpful to me then, and still holds true today, I thought it might be a good idea to "pass it on.”
Line up extra AA activities for the holiday season. Arrange to take newcomers to meetings, answer the phones at a clubhouse or central office, speak, help with dishes, or visit the alcoholic ward at a
hospital.
Skip any drinking occasion you are nervous about. Remember how clever you were at excuses when drinking? Now put the talent to good use. No office party is as important as saving your life.
Don’t sit around brooding. Catch up on those books, museums, walks, and letters.
Be host to AA friends, especially newcomers. If you don’t have a place where you can throw a formal party, take one person to a diner and spring for the coffee.
If you have to go to a drinking party and can’t take an AA with you, keep some candy handy.
Don’t start now getting worked up about all those holiday temptations. Remember — “one day at a time.”
Keep your AA telephone list with you all the time. If a drinking urge or panic comes — postpone everything else until you’ve called an AA.
Don’t think you have to stay late. Plan in advance an “important date” you have to keep.
Enjoy the true beauty of holiday love and joy. Maybe you cannot give material gifts — but this year, you can give love.
Find out about the special holiday parties, meetings, or other celebrations given by groups in your area, and go. If you’re timid, take someone newer than you are.
Worship in your own way!
“Having had a…” No need to spell out the Twelfth Step here, since you already know it.
Moving into 2017, we would love to hear from you and please feel free to submit your own articles or resources for the 5pmMeeting website on our contact page. Happy Sober Holidays to all and we looking forward to seeing you in the new year!
