It’s the most wonderful time of the year to practice mindful drinking

Drinkaware, the national charity working to prevent and reduce alcohol misuse wants to support the public with tips and advice on how to host a merry and mindful Christmas gathering.  

Are you planning on hosting a Christmas party? The Drinkaware annual Barometer for 2022 found that: 

• 35% of adults who drink have made small positive changes in their drinking habits 
• 30% of adults who drink want to drink less.  

Additionally, the Drinkaware Drinks Calculator has had over 320,000 visits this year.  

Visits to the Drinkaware ‘Explore Sober Curious & Mindful Drinking’ webpage have increased by over 140% this year, and in September the sold-out public webinar on ‘Mindful Drinking and Mental Health’ produced by the charity proved popular with the public.

It’s clear that more and more people in Ireland are wanting to explore sober-curious and mindful drinking and to feel the benefits of drinking less firsthand.   

Drinkaware is encouraging the public to be mindful this festive season, with a merry yet mindful festive gathering this Christmas.

If you’re hosting a Christmas get together this month, Drinkaware has some tips for event hosting to ensure you and your guests have an enjoyable, festive and mindful time.  

Think of SANTA to prepare with Drinkaware’s top tips for event hosting this Christmas:  

Serve food: 
From mince pies to gingerbread men, don’t forget to keep the Christmas snacks replenished! Eating while drinking alcohol helps to slow down how much you drink, but also slows down how quickly alcohol is absorbed into your body. Your guests won’t feel the impact of the alcohol as quickly as they would if they were drinking and not eating.  

Accurate measuring: 
Free-pouring drinks can lead to drinking above the HSE low-risk guidelines for alcohol. The guidelines state that men should have no more than 17 and women no more than 11, standard drinks a week and these should be spread out over the week with two alcohol-free days. You can order a free measuring cup from drinkaware.ie to help your guests keep track of what they drink or use whatever you have on hand at home.   

Non-Alcoholic: 
An increasing number of your favourite drinks have a non-alcoholic alternative. Get the taste without the alcohol and offer these drinks at your party! They’re becoming more popular than ever. Leave one out for Santa, as he should never drink alcohol and drive a sleigh of reindeer. Guests can also make a safe journey home with no alcohol in their system.

Tap water: 
It’s essential! Give your guests some water so that they can stay hydrated. Keep a jug of water close to hand and make sure it’s topped up with water throughout the event. Alternating each drink with a glass of water is a great way to cut down on how much you drink.  

Alcohol-free Activities: 
Create some fun this Christmas without drinking. Why not stock up on nostalgic family favorite games? Monopoly, Mario Party, Cluedo and charades can bring your guests together this festive season.  

Director of Communications for Drinkaware, Jennifer Flynn commented, “Through our interactions with the public both online and face to face, we have seen a dramatic increase in demand for information on a more mindful approach to drinking alcohol. For many people Christmas means getting together with family and friends and this can mean that levels of alcohol consumption rise, but this doesn’t have to be the case.  

With 30% of Irish adults wanting to drink less we have an opportunity to celebrate the festive season, while protecting our mental health and wellbeing.  

We want people to have the information, tips and advice on how they can have a mindful gathering this Christmas, to focus on being together and experiencing the benefits of cutting back on alcohol”. 

A Christmas party with less alcohol doesn’t mean less fun and drinking this Christmas doesn’t mean you have to be less safe. Visit drinkaware.ie to find more information. Have a merry mindful Christmas!