Eat, drink and be merry, and to each their own

By Medicine Hat News Opinon on December 19, 2017.

From staff parties, get-togethers, family gatherings and more — a big part of getting into the Christmas spirit is, well, getting into spirits.

There’s the expected spike of alcohol in retail sales as people prepare for the season. Or how local police have kicked off their annual highly-visible checkstop program to discourage impaired driving because they know how many more people are out drinking.

From glasses of wine, whiskey, scotch or the proverbial kicking back a cold one with the boys, drinking is the go-to, social norm, especially at Christmas-time.

It’s fun for those who partake, but social drinking at this time of year is so normal that it can be hard — and even harrowing — for those who don’t drink.

And quite ironic, since the big lessons adults try to impress upon youth is to not succumb to peer pressure over alcohol and drugs. Yet the moment the legal drinking age is it, this is tossed out the window.

There’s a long list of reasons why people choose to not drink. Some simply don’t like the taste of alcohol, or don’t enjoying feeling inebriated. For many, alcohol isn’t a good mix with medication and medical conditions. For others, it just doesn’t mix with their religious convictions.

The reason for not drinking can be quite straightforward, like being the designated driver.

But it can also be extremely personal reason, such as an alcoholic walking the difficult path of sobriety, or children of alcoholics who are all too aware of the impact alcohol can have.

For these folks, the exact opposite of a good time is navigating a holiday season where they have to repeatedly turn down offers of alcoholic drinks.

These offers often come from over-eager hosts fretting that all their guests are enjoying themselves. Or there’s the comments from the peanut gallery — debate and interrogation over a simple (or not-so-simple) life choice.

It ranges from well-meaning, to rude to invasive. Why people choose not to drink isn’t anyone else’s business.

When someone turns down a drink, that should be the end of the discussion. Eat, drink, be merry and continue on with the festivities!