Alcohol stole everything from my dad - then took him from me on Christmas Eve. That's why I'll be sober on Christmas Day... just like I have been for the past 20 years: RUTH SUNDERLAND
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Alcohol was once as essential a part of my Christmas as the fragrance of the fir tree, the crackle of wrapping paper and the aromas wafting in from the kitchen. From the Buck's fizz my husband would bring at breakfast, to the wine sipped stirring the gravy, to the glass of port watching The Sound Of Music and the cognac in the evening, snuggled on the sofa, drink punctuated the big day.
![[Ruth gave up drink after witnessing the damage it did to her father - he died in his early 60s on Christmas Eve in 1995 - and realising 'a life without booze would be a life-enhancing choice']](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/20/93286685-14207211-image-m-16_1734552744927.jpg)
I would never have contemplated the idea of a drink-free Christmas: it would have seemed far too dull. So, somewhat to my surprise, this will be my 20th stone-cold sober 25th of December – and it won't be remotely joyless. For me it's the exact opposite. Being sober has been a way to reclaim Christmas as a joyful time.
Let me explain why. Christmas is supposed to be a happy time but for many it's also a treacherous one, when deeply buried memories bubble to the surface and emotions run high. We are bombarded with images of perfect families – idealised versions that bear little resemblance to many people's flawed realities. Throw alcohol into the mix and it can become truly destructive.
My choice to live alcohol-free back in 2004 was not prompted by worries about my own consumption – though, in hindsight, perhaps it should have been. Like almost everyone I knew, I was drinking far more than the recommended units and had my fair share of evenings teetering home in stilettos or tumbling out of taxis. No, the reason I gave up drink was that I had seen first-hand the devastation alcohol can cause when it takes control.
