Sober for party season? No thanks! Why this Londoner won't be cutting back on alcohol
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Increasingly, I have friends who are sober-curious, but it is not a state that I have yet to recognise in myself. Like most of the great British public, I have a very social relationship with the strong stuff. Any occasion, any time, I seem to find an appropriate tipple to be had. Sundays are not the same without taking a sherry to the bath, or a pint of champagne to bed (when one has company).
Friends who have done recovery programmes are to be applauded, encouraged and supported. However, thankfully for me, it has never tipped over. I enjoy a drink – the flavours, the rituals, the bonding abilities, the social lubrication. Hearing that some people are seeking Christmas sober coaching is a revelation — sheer will-power clearly belongs to the twentieth century. Just swap that brandy for a bitter lemon if you feel you’re a step away from getting handsy. One of the first things google tells you when you tap in ‘Sober Coach’ is the very Brit response: “is it illegal to drink alcohol on a coach?”. The answer, for those of you who enjoy coach travel, is thankfully no. Your M&S G&T tins are safe. The odd lads holiday, when I was encouraged to drink pints at 7am at Gatwick, can happily be left to my youth, but it does raise a smile when I see a group gathering in a ‘Spoons in Terminal 2 as I waltz to my ski flight.
Mainlining eggnog at 9am, mid-week, mid-December, to get through your day? Perhaps it is time to think about consulting a Sober Coach. Having a wee shandy with a colleague at lunchtime? You’re in little danger of going full Mad Men. Sober life is all good as long as one doesn’t become messianic in displacement activity. I have a deep distrust of ultra-marathon runners, and their ability to be good company. If you’ve given up drinking as a pastime, why not try upholstery? Far chicer than lycra, and we all know there is nothing fun about a Fun Run.
![[I tried going sober on London's party scene — but did people just find me boring?]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2024/12/13/15/51/IMG_0686.jpeg?crop=8:5,smart&quality=75&auto=webp&width=960)
