Twelve Tips on Keeping Your Holiday Season Sober and Joyous

Reprinted from BOX 459, Holiday 1988 edition.


Holiday parties without liquid spirits may still seem a dreary
aspect to new AA's.  But many of us have enjoyed the happiest
holidays of our lives sober -- an idea we would never have
dreamed of, wanted, or believed possible when drinking.

Here are some tips for having an all-round ball without a drop of
alcohol.


1.   Line up extra A.A. activities for the holiday season. 
     Arrange to take newcomers to meetings, answer the phones at
     a club house or central office, speak, help with dishes, or
     visit the alcoholic ward at a hospital.

2.   Be host to A.A. friends, especially newcomers.  If you don't
     have a place where you can throw a formal party, take one
     person to dinner and spring for the coffee.

3.   Keep your A.A. phone list with you all the time.  If a
     drinking urge or panic comes -- postpone everything else
     until you've called an A.A.

4.   Find out about the special holiday parties, meetings, or
     other celebrations given by groups in your area, and go.  If
     you're timid, take someone newer than you are.

5.   Skip any drinking occasion you are nervous about.  Remember
     how clever you were at excuses when drinking?  Now put that
     talent to good use.  No office party is as important as
     saving your life.

6.   If you have to go to a drinking party and can't take an A.A.
     with you, keep some candy handy.

7.   Don't think you have to stay late.  Plan in advance an
     "important date" you have to keep.

8.   Go to church.  Any church.

9.   Don't sit around brooding.  Catch up on those books,
     museums, walks, and letters.

10.  Don't start now getting worked up about all those holiday
     temptations.  Remember -- "One day at a time."

11.  Enjoy the true beauty of holiday love and joy.  Maybe you
     cannot give material gifts, but this year you can give love.

12.  "Having had a ..."  No need to spell out the Twelfth Step
     here, since you already know it.