Why I Won't Be Participating in Dry January

The short answer is because I don’t want to.  But I have other reasons.

Until very recently, as in the last 24 hours I did not know such a thing existed.  I was all, “what?   It’s not Lent, is it?  Already?”

See I have kids and as I said to the nice chap in the off licence on Christmas eve, red wine and whiskey and sherry are exactly what makes Christmas day with small children tolerable.   

Ok that’s a slight exaggeration.  Wine helps.  It helps a lot.  But what really works for me is sleep, lots of sleep, a quiet house (never going to happen) and then a little bit of wine.

Also I spent three, count them, three consecutive Christmases either pregnant and/or breastfeeding.  I was practically teetotal for a decade.  

All decisions made my very good (sober) self, granted.  I accept that and I was happy (Mostly.  Sometimes.  Maybe for about an hour in 2009) to remain teetotal.  But now that all of my boys are long weaned and the baby shop is closed, I enjoy a glass bottle of wine most weekend nights.   I do not have a problem with it.  At all.   If I went out to the pub each Friday and Saturday I would drink a lot more than a bottle of wine, I can tell you. 

I enjoy wine.  It’s nice.  I like it and I have no intentions of stopping drinking it any time soon.

I understand a lot of people are full of Christmas and all of the excesses but I’m grand.  I do not feel the need to give up anything nice at a time of year when we should be kind to ourselves.   It’s winter, lads.   We wake up in the dark and go to bed in the dark.  The weather is poxy. Our bodies and minds are crying out for a bit of comfort.  Anthropologically speaking we should be curled up in a cave wrapped in a bear skin with an extra layer of body fat keeping us alive until the spring when food is more plentiful. 

To embark on Dry January, I feel is to deny ourselves a basic human need.  That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. 

And in case you’re wondering, yes, there is a glass of wine in front of me at the time of writing. 

I like wine and I’m proud. 

On a more sober and poignant note, Dry January is a fundraiser for the charity Alcohol Concern.  A truly worthy cause and I am in awe of those who complete 31 days alcohol free.  Please check out the above links even if it is just to have a read of the statistics and maybe even donate something.