5 Fun Ways to Enjoy Christmas without Alcohol!
Let’s make merry with an AF Christmas!
Christmas is a boozy time of year for many folks across the globe. The prevalence of alcohol can make this a difficult season for those of us who don’t drink, but it doesn’t have to be!
We can fully harness our inner power and creativity allowing us to enjoy the Christmas holidays without the crutch of alcohol.
So, without further rambling on my part, here are some fun and family-friendly ways we can enjoy the holidays alcohol-free.
1) Food and Drink.
One of my favorite pastimes is cooking delicious and maybe not-so-nutritious food. Playing Chef brings me joy and takes up much of my holidays with shopping, prepping, and cooking. Everything from fresh bread, cookies, soups, and sauces get bundled together and given as gifts.
Making from scratch classic holiday beverages like hot chocolate, cider, and eggnog, is also good fun while allowing a creative outlet for excellent alcohol-free drink options. I even have a couple of bottles of non-alcoholic red wine headed my way so I can make AF mulled wine this year!
2) Get Crafty.
“Some Christmas tree ornaments do more than glitter and glow, they represent a gift of love given a long time ago.” -Tom Baker
Have a flair for the creative? Are you the fun aunt or uncle who keeps the kids occupied and dispenses loving life lessons? If so, gather up the youngsters, procure some arts and crafts, and put together your very own decorations. This will create physical objects as well as beautiful memories that you all will cherish.
Heck- and I’m just spitballing here- you could take it up a notch and get the children to perform a Christmas play for everyone as you showcase your directing and producing skills!
3) Movie marathon.
“You’ll shoot your eye out.”
Think of your all-time favorite Christmas movies. The ones we all know and love. With all the streaming and on-demand services, it has never been easier to gather around as a family to enjoy some classic Christmas cinema. Snuggle up on the couch with a cup o’ cocoa, loved ones, and pets. Then push play for hours of downright wholesome entertainment that won’t be clouded by the haze of alcohol.
FYI, my top movies are A Christmas Story, Charlie Brown’s Christmas, Muppet’s Christmas Carol, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
4) Appreciate the simple.
Courtesy of Liz Lemon.
We all hear lines like, “Learn to enjoy the simple things in life.” A statement like that can induce epic eye-rolls, but that doesn’t make it not true. Appreciation for the simple is even more pronounced when we are not drinking. Those of us who are alcohol-free are more mindful, attentive, and open to the wonder of the season.
Last year I lived in northern Colorado, close to the border with Nowhere. On Christmas morning, I tagged along with my good friend to the ski mountain. I don’t ski at all, so while my friend hit the slopes, I sat outside with a cup of hot chocolate and thoroughly enjoyed a very watchable crowd. It was one of the most memorable Christmas days I have had, and it was a blast because I appreciated the simplicity and gave it my full attention.
5) Recapture the magic.
“May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve.”
When I was younger, I didn’t need booze to enjoy or enhance Christmas in any way. There was palpable magic in the air that held its own enchantment.
The stories, characters, and traditions of Christmas captured my imagination. I was opened to a realm of the fantastic and surreal, of story and myth, of principles and ideals.
There is nothing wrong with recapturing a bit of that magic. We benefit from suspending our logical, jaded minds a couple of weeks each year opening hearth and home to our fellow man, sharing warmth amid the cold, and joyously singing the return of light in our literal darkest days.
For that, no alcohol is required and would, in fact, be a hindrance.
I wish you all Joy, Love, and a very Merry Christmas!!!
