- 1
- 2
Six Ways to Avoid Holiday Booze Blunders
1. Considerate Gifting Don't bring a bottle of wine or Scotch to a party unless you're asked to. Inquire first, or bring flowers or a dessert instead.
2. Don't Ask Never ask anyone why they're not drinking, even indirectly. It can seem like a harmless ice-breaker, but in fact it's downright rude to hand a woman a Coke and say, "Expecting?"
3. Don't Tell You're not obliged to explain why you're not drinking. "It's OK to just say, 'No thanks, I'm all set'," says Post. (If you feel conspicuous declining drinks, or want to avoid discussing any issues you have with alcohol, Linda Garcia, an internist in Fairbanks, Alaska, who treats alcoholism, suggests saying you're on a diet or need to wake up early the next day.)
If the prospect of facing all that holiday hooch is an unwelcome and potentially unmanageable temptation, consider calling in some professional reinforcements. Now is when people recovering from alcoholism most often slip, says Garcia. Luckily, there are new kinds of help available these days. Your doctor can prescribe an anticraving medication, or you could try sharing anonymously on a support Web site like mywayout.org. Then, of course, there's Alcoholics Anonymous. Any of these can help you enter the New Year hangover-free.
© 2007
- 1
- 2
Loading Menu
Member Comments
Posted By: Mrsclaus @ 07/17/2008 10:25:33 PM
Comment: The easiest way to say no to a drink is just simply, NO ThankYou. If they dont like that answer thats their problem not yours. You stand your ground and be proud of your answer. Too bad what others think. People are always going to think what they want anyway, so why bother worrying about it. All you have to do is just be the best you that you can be and to hell with the rest!
Posted By: GreatDane @ 12/31/2007 7:50:34 PM
Comment: This is so silly. Gives me some new insight into the apparent rudeness of alcohol consumers! If these kinds of common courtesies need to be spelled out, can someone tell me again why those of us who have never used alcohol have to feel like WE have something to explain? Reminds me of the old "set-up question": Have you stopped beating your wife? The need to publish this article tells alot more about the rudeness of alcohol users than it does about anyone else.
Posted By: vtblaze @ 12/31/2007 1:23:58 PM
Comment: I have to disagree with one suggestion. Inviting someone to a dry new year's eve party is fine, but it shouldn't be a surprise. Some people may enjoy a cocktail of champagne toast, as it is commonly associated with that particular holiday, and may have made different arrangements if they had known they commited to a dry party beforehand.