Christmas is coming but a new lease of life may call for a different kind of celebration. We have put together our list of alternative Christmas ideas, ways you can spend the day that might be slightly different to what you have done before.
The day itself doesn’t have to be anything like you have known before, and there is no reason why you can’t put your own spin on it and do whatever you like. There may be societal and familial pressures to do things a certain way, but having open and honest conversations about how you’re feeling with the people around you, will hopefully make them understand.
We know you might want to try something new, or just get away from what you have always done, so here are some ideas for how you can spend your sober Christmas.
Spend it with friends
You can choose to spend the day however you wish, and if you have a solid group of friends around you, you can even create your own Christmas with them. From dinner to chats around a fire, make of this Christmas what you like, and spend time with the people who are closest to you, whoever they may be. If you think you might be at risk of a relapse at Christmas, then you want to surround yourself with the right kind of people.
Create your own traditions
From a swim in the sea to going for a long wintry walk, there are so many different things you can do on Christmas Day that don’t revolve around the traditional norms. Think about how you want to spend the day and who you will be spending it with, and then you can start to create traditions and memories of your own that you can come back to year after year.
Help or volunteer your time
There are plenty of kitchens and shelters looking for people to volunteer and help them over the holidays. This is a way to give back and also spend your day doing something out of the norm. You can find a soup kitchen or organisation close to where you live, and offer up your time and resources to help at what may be a difficult time for them.
Host at home, and do it your way
Open your doors to family and friends and host Christmas in your home. This is a good way to keep your nearest and dearest close but in an environment that feels safe and secure for you. You can request that people don’t bring alcohol (or drugs) and put on an afternoon or evening of festivities that you’re going to feel comfortable with.
However you choose to spend Christmas, we are wishing you a merry and enjoyable time.
Help Me Stop
If you’re struggling with addiction then please reach out to Help Me Stop. We offer non-residential treatment programmes for both drug and alcohol addiction, and we know this time of year can be hard. With increased social events and an attitude of festivity, we know that peer pressure can get too much, and it can also be a time that we spiral.
Our drug and alcohol addiction treatment programmes are available in London and Winchester, as well as there being an online option. They’re designed to be affordable and accessible so you can integrate recovery into your daily life, and find your road to recovery.
Our treatment programme centres around integrative psychotherapy, which blends a number of evidence-based therapies, including the 12 step approach to addiction treatment, person-centred therapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), psychodynamic therapy, family therapy, art therapy, recovery workshops, mindfulness, and more. We work mainly in group sessions, and every client also has a one-to-one counselling session each week with their focal counsellor.
We know that addiction is not linear, and there is no one route that leads people to drug and alcohol dependence. What we do know is that we are able to support our clients to understand their addiction and move to recovery from a place of abstinence, equipped with the tools they need to stay sober.
We created these programmes with you in mind, and we are here to support and help you every step of the way. Get in touch for a confidential consultation and chat on how we can help.
You can choose to spend Christmas however you wish, and if you do need support and advice at this time of year, reach out to us on 0208 191 9191 or email us on enquiries@helpmestop.org.uk and we will help you regain control and help you stop.
