For many, Christmas is synonymous with festive tipples, but one writer is preparing to celebrate his eighth consecutive sober holiday season. Eliot Wilson, a writer, historian, and Contributing Editor for Defence on the Brink, last consumed alcohol on Christmas Day in 2017. Now, as he approaches this personal milestone, he shares the insights gleaned from experiencing the festive period from both sides of the drinking divide.
The Christmas Marathon: Why Planning Beats Pouring
Wilson begins with a frank admission: Christmas Day is inherently stressful. Whether it's managing family dynamics, the pressure of hosting, or the sheer weight of expectation, the day presents unique challenges that can drive even the most temperate among us to seek solace in a glass. His paramount lesson, drawn from past experience, is that festive drinking is a marathon, not a sprint.
He recalls a Christmas in his late twenties where a "brisk and bravura assault on the sherry" mid-morning led to an empty decanter by 1 pm and a premature descent into drunkenness. His advice is not necessarily restraint, but a combination of situational awareness and a plan. He advocates for a strategic approach to consumption, suggesting variety to keep the palate engaged and aiming to reach midnight with dignity intact.
The Unexpected Joys of a Sober Celebration
Having navigated the day without alcohol for eight years, Wilson confirms that the "alcoholic cosh" is not essential to endure—or even enjoy—Christmas. He outlines a few basic assumptions: that you are not a total festive grump, nor in deep despair, and can tolerate your companions. Within that framework, he highlights distinct advantages.
A key perk is the rightful sense of smugness that comes from knowing no hangover awaits and that you will remember the day's events with crystal clarity compared to your drinking companions. He is quick to clarify he does not endorse blackmail, but notes "information is currency." The experience is undoubtedly different without alcohol, but Wilson argues that if you adjust your expectations, "different" need not mean "worse." Savour the clear head, the absence of regretful moments, and the freedom from the dreaded Katzenjammer (hangover) the next day.
Finding Your Festive Guilty Pleasure
Wilson does recommend one crucial substitution for those going sober. To replicate that grain of festive transgression, he advises finding something unequivocally bad for you to enjoy. This could be a fine cigar, an immoderate amount of chocolate, or another private indulgence. This "grit in the oyster" provides a sense of guilty pleasure that can make the day feel truly rewarding.
In conclusion, his eight-year experiment has taught him that a sober Christmas is not only viable but can be deeply satisfying with the right mindset. After all, as he wryly notes, what better tribute to the season could there be than to gleefully declare, "I shouldn't really be doing this?"
