Dry January

Still contemplating dry January to be honest. We did sober October which we found easy enough, but there were days I thought 'I could murder glass of wine' but stayed steadfast in my resolve. However cutting alcohol for 2 months out of 12 can only seem beneficial surely? I certainly slept better when abstaining!

No way am I doing this. We have been stuck in here for weeks, not visiting shops and only having doorstep visits from family. Not doing our usual Christmas with family. To cap it all we now have thick snow. A couple of glasses of wine is something to look forward to.

Moderation at all times and in all things (apart from the odd splurge without which life would be tedious.)

I don't drink at all for four nights of the week and only a little on the other three so I am not giving up in January.

I don't do fasts, Lent, Ramadan or any extremist Puritanical self denial. It would make me horribly grumpy and I would hate everyone. How that would help me or the rest of the world I do not know.

Lucretzia

I'll be dry.

Went right off alcohol when pregnant with my son. 28 years ago.

I used to drink like a fish but have hardly touched a drop for years

Same here.

Nope...have had to give up enough this year..as we all have...so am certainly not going to give up a glass or two of wine when I feel like it...?

No way. We have a little drink before dinner every night. I do understand we shouldn't but we really look forward to it in these strange times with nothing else going on! I will try to cut back when the virus is over!!

No way, January is miserable enough and anyway DD and her husband both have their birthdays in January.
I have a sherry before dinner, and a glass of wine with my meal. At the weekends I might have a nightcap as well.
I gave up for about 6 weeks back in May, as I was on tablets that stipulated no alcohol, and I was fine with that.

Dry year here and for the past 18. DH is an alcoholic who tries very hard not to drink.

I think the trouble with dry January is that a month is not really long enough to get used to doing without alcohol, no matter how little you usually drink.

I used to drink a lot but not anymore best thing I ever did. Never used to succeed with Dry Jan, Sober Oct, Lent or any other activity. Read the book This Naked Mind not touched a drop since. For new year I'm giving up buying clothes and shoes for a year if Deborah Meadon can do it!

LadyStardust

January is bad enough without it being dry!! No no no!!

Absolutely ?

No, January is dreary enough anyway! - but then the most I have most days is a small glass of wine while cooking the dinner.

‘Small’ as in how wine glasses used to be some decades ago - we still have a couple! - not the half pint jobs - or even bigger - that are so common now.
Having said that, we’ll be cracking open a bottle of fizz on NYE, so I dare say I’ll be downing half a bottle of that. And very likely some mulled wine, too. But most of the time my intake is as above.

I enjoy my evening tipple and I used to do dry January. In 2020 I opted for what was considered to be a healthier option. I have one alcohol free week every month. It was a good discipline especially during lockdown.

I do dry January every year. Energy levels are better and flatter tum. I also didnt drink from End of Sept to Christmas Eve. Its definitely easier to do now I am not socialising.

I drink very little, and rarely wine, unless it's fizzy. I prefer whisky or vodka. I had a couple of glasses of Cava on Christmas Day, and I'll have a whisky on Hogmanay, but with not having visitors or going out, I might not have another drink throughout January. To be honest, I'd rather have chocolate - not a healthy option, of course!

First drink since Feb was on Xmas day and it was only Bucks Fizz. Had bought a bottle of Bailey's but its still sitting in the garage. Only have a couple if out with friends to a show or something so had none of those lovely nights out so no drinks.

I prefer a DRYER January. I will cut back, not totally stop drinking....

I will but not starting til Monday as somehow I always like to start things like that at the beginning of the week. I’d did sober October earlier in the year and donated the money I saved to a breast cancer charity. I’ll do the same for dry January but maybe a different charity this time - I think they are all struggling right now.

Not giving up here. Most years I feel quite guilty at this point having been to Christmas parties, social events, and had multiple family visits all accompanied by drinks. As none of that has happened in 2020, my consumption has been pretty much as normal, nothing for five days running and then a couple of glasses of wine on each of the other two days. The only day I went a bit mad was Christmas day itself when the excitement of having DD and partner actually in our house for a meal (!) led me to consume pre-lunch sherry, two glasses of red with the meal, one of dessert wine and a port with the cheese. I was tipsy and happy. Not sure how good it was for my physical health, but it did wonders for my mental health.

Having isolated and not having physical contact with any of my family and friends apart from FaceTime since mid September I have got used to doing what I want when I want. I will not be be joining in with dry January in fact I may even step up on my drinking and have a bottle of champagne once a week.
It’s a bit decadent l know but , lm finding that l enjoy it and gives me a sense of freedom
(probably three sheet’s to the wind).
Anything that gives me a little happiness and makes me feel good then I will have to carry on and do it.
What’s the point in depriving myself of little pleasure’s ? We have all given up so much this year so lm looking around for other things to take up !

I didnt have a drink at all for about 7 weeks when I had my hip op..
I drank little after that until Christmas week when I upped my intake.
Will not be doing dry January, I don't know how much time I have left!!

I have a dry December so haven't had a dry January until now. DH hasn't had alcohol for several years but I like a small glass of white wine with my main meal (mid-day). However he has been feeling deprived and because of all his medication (and other reasons) I said I'd give up alcohol - and so has one DD in solidarity. We've had non-alcohol 'wine' but I find them too sweet. Can anyone recommend a dry non-alcohol wine?

I don’t drink or smoke and am a vegetarian. My daughter says I could live forever .... or it may just seem like that !

Grandmama, I haven't yet found a still alcohol-free wine I like, but if you like fizz, may I suggest Freixenet 0% pink sparkling? It's very acceptable.

I’m not giving up my occasional rum and coke for January or any other month!

I’m just polishing off the champers we opened for Buck’s Fizz on Christmas morning and probably won’t have another drink until dinner on New Year’s Day.

I’ve had a few dry quarantines, lockdowns etc this year of weeks at a time but I rarely drink more than twice a week anyway, so dry January mightn’t happen but it won’t be sodden!

Someone mentioned sleeping better without alcohol up thread and I agree - I need my sleep more than I want a drink!