No booze yesterday Christmas!

[Gravity Aided]

You have just changed my life. Wheat beer is the thing I miss the most. Now if you can find a non alcoholic single malt whisky aged in peat barrels....

Same here. Bavaria Wit sounds like it could give Clausthaler Golden Amber a run for its money.

 

[Lloss]

Gave up drinking 25 years ago best thing I ever did personally I think that people who drink are mugs or alcoholics and I was one of them although I keep this to myself.

 

[gavroche]

I only had one glass of red wine and a few glasses of cider. Drinking doesn't really appeal to me and I hate smoking. I don't think it is essential to drink to have a good time. I enjoyed Christmas without resorting to excess alcohol.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Gave up drinking 25 years ago best thing I ever did personally I think that people who drink are mugs or alcoholics and I was one of them although I keep this to myself.

You've just told about thirty six thousand people.

 

[Lloss]

You've just told about thirty six thousand people.

But the chances of meeting are very remote and coming to the UK is even remoter.But I am glad I do not drink and I really do care who knows but I should imagine that most people don't care less.

 

[Saluki]

I stopped drinking before Xmas 2014 and continued through to September 2015 when, after half an hour of consistant nagging and going on, I had a bit of a small single malt to shut the bloody boss up. I left most of it. He was miffed. He said 'why did you have it if you didn't want it'. One of the other guys replied for me 'because you went on and on and on about her not just having a coke but having a proper drink'.

I make blackberry vodka. It makes great pressies for friends that drink. I've had a small taster this year. Less than a teaspoonfull, to see if it's done yet. Vile stuff, but it's nearly there. I'll bottle in in Feb or so. I did have part of a glass of wine early December. It was horrible! I'd forgotten how rough a red wine can be. Used the rest of it in a stew.

Drinking is not really for me. I've always been a bit of a lightweight, I'm told. The pressure to drink is irritating. Saying 'no, I would rather have a coke' or similar is like a red rag to some people. They feel that they must pressurise you into joining them. Even when I say 'I'm driving', they are all 'well, one won't put you over the limit'. I am going to start insisting that the alcohol pushers come for a 10 mile bike ride with me. I can't try and force a ciggy on anyone as I don't smoke.

This is my last lot of Blackberry vodka making, I have decided. Bored with it sitting about, cluttering up the cupboard now. People will have to have gingerbread houses instead.

 

[Smokin Joe]

One of the other guys replied for me 'because you went on and on and on about her not just having a coke but having a proper drink'.

That sort of remark really drives me up the wall and often elicits quite a rude reply. It's as if people think they're some sort of hard man because they drink when in reality the ones who try and force it on those who don't want to are pathetic bores.

 

[glenn forger]

My second dry Christmas, after a long time of misusing booze. I stay away from busy pubs and my family know not to press alcohol on me. If someone was forceful I'd walk away. Sometimes when you are the abstainer you get grief off others who may know they use booze a bit too much. Your presence is a reproach.

 

[contadino]

I think I may have a bit of a problem and January (or maybe just the next few days) is going to show how serious it is.

I thought I'd taken a couple of weeks off booze in September, but looking back it was only 2 days. Felt like a total ordeal.

It just seems to have gently escalated without me noticing. Maybe it crept in the back when I was concentrating on quitting other vices over the last couple of years.

Anyway, onwards...

 

[glenn forger]

Good luck contadino, your post was an important first step. It's stronger than you and it's not your friend.

 

[Hip Priest]

I like a drink but I'm going to knock it on the head for January and see how I get on. I've had three or four 'big nights out' over the last month, and each time the hangover has left me feeling horribly anxious and shaky. Not good for body, mind or soul.

 

[MarkF]

I didn't touch a drop for 6 weeks in preparation, then the Xmas do's started on the 13th of December and I've been on the piss pretty much ever since, I've had a ball.

I am working Monday so the drinking will stop Saturday night, I hope to beat my post Xmas dry run record of April 3rd.

 

[mark c]

I have started my dry January done ok last year.

 

[nickyboy]

I like a drink but I'm going to knock it on the head for January and see how I get on. I've had three or four 'big nights out' over the last month, and each time the hangover has left me feeling horribly anxious and shaky. Not good for body, mind or soul.

I do dry January every year.

I've always been a drinker. I enjoy it. I enjoy doing it with other people, Drinking socially is also quite an important part of my job, I am fortunate that I have no addiction problems with alcohol (this must be about the 20th dry January I've done and I only drink at weekends the rest of the year). No health problems and, to be honest, I don't feel any better health-wise after a month off the juice

 

[fossyant]

I do drink, and probably have done too often, due to stress and struggling to sleep through pain.

I've not been able to touch a drop since late November and I'll hopefully keep this up until fully healed. Maybe just one weekend night ? Target is to keep the weight off, I needed to lose a few lbs (approx half a stone) and these have gone so it would be silly to put it back on.