You may be pleasantly surprised by how satisfying sobriety can be.
My mother was an incredible baker. For the three or so nights leading up to Christmas Eve, we could find her in the kitchen baking her heart out till the wee hours of the morning.
Mom would nip sherry while creating these delicacies— way before she was identified as an alcoholic many years later. The confections were delicious and gorgeous —as she was able to control her imbibing.
My childhood was filled with fearful anticipation that my father would erupt in anger over a minor mishap during our Christmas Eve celebration. We always had a houseful of guests — family and friends. It didn't matter who was there if Dad was annoyed — lookout.
I lived with anxiety, as my father was unhappy and combative.
I had no idea alcohol was the catalyst behind his outbursts. Many years later, I learned he, too, was an alcoholic.
My drinking started in my teens and continued throughout my adulthood.
When I was a homemaker and mother, I followed in my mother's footsteps. My husband would buy me a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, a Christmas tradition, and I would sip from a dainty little footed glass — all night long.
My bottle was empty within two nights (maybe three, if I was disciplined). Mom had more self-control than I. Miraculously, my cookies were still quite yummy and pretty, too.
No surprise, I inherited my fondness for libations from parents who were addicted. I'm sure this taste for alcohol was more a learned behavior than genetic.
The few breaks I took from swilling were through two pregnancies and breastfeeding.
As a young parent, my Christmas Day began with my hubby and me enjoying mimosas while the children opened their gifts. We'd continue drinking until we put the boys to bed.
For all my adult years, alcohol was part of the festivities. It was simply a given. Didn't everyone celebrate holidays this way?
Christmas 2021 will be my fourth as a sober woman. Damn, I'm proud! And I should be. My sobriety was a hard-won accomplishment.
After retiring and indulging more heavily daily — sobriety was the obvious decision. Something's gotta go. It had to be the booze, or I wouldn't be healthy and hearty for long.
Besides having children, quitting my addiction to alcohol is the absolute best decision I have made.
My life embodies a joy I had no idea existed. My days are filled with creative endeavors — such as writing for Medium and my blog, creating collages, and constantly changing up the decor in our home to coincide with the seasons.
I wouldn't be here writing today if it weren't for my sobriety.
Plus, I have added a new sport — pickleball to my days. What a hoot this game is. Not only is pickleball a great way to exercise, but I have also gained a tribe of like-minded women who are now my friends.
My life is richer, busier, and more fulfilling than I could ever have imagined.
If you have the faintest notion that sobriety could be a way of life you would like to explore, I say go for it. I am sure you will discover— sobriety is a kick!
I will not wake on December 26 wondering if I did anything stupid on Christmas. I will not drop the ham. Nor will I catch my hair on fire. I will not get sloppy and teary and embarrass my family. I will not wake up with a hangover.
Yup — you guessed it — all of the above I have experienced on Christmas Days past.
It is a joy to celebrate sober — with a glass of sparkling cider in my favorite crystal flute.
Gratitude and pride are the most significant blessings I enjoy from being sober.
You can do it, too.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas filled with love, peace, and joy.
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