How to drink less over the holidays

Look at the whole season

Open your calendar and list every event from late November to January 1. Decide in advance which ones you’ll drink at, how much, and which you’ll skip drinking at entirely. Seeing it all at once makes it easier to pace yourself.

At parties

• Eat first. Don’t arrive hungry.
• Start with something non-alcoholic. The first drink goes fastest.
• Set a number. Decide it at home and stick to it. Check in on it the next day.
• Alternate. Water or an alcohol-free drink between each one.
• Have an exit time. The late part of the night is where the extra drinks happen.

With family

Bring your own drinks so you have something you like. Prepare a short answer for the relative who always asks. Take a walk when things get loud. For more lines, see our social life guide.

Office parties

Get a drink in your hand straight away, talk to the people you want to, and leave before it turns into a late night. People remember who stayed sharp.

New Year’s Eve

Toast with alcohol-free sparkling wine. Or host: you control what’s served, and you don’t have to travel home.

Resetting in January

Many people follow the holidays with a dry month. If you’re planning one, set it up in December. Our week-by-week plan walks you through it.

Keep score with a quest

Dry Quest lets you set moderation goals like “no more than 2 drinks” for party nights and alcohol-free quests for the days in between. If a night goes over, a Second Wind keeps your progress. See what to do after a slip.

Dry Quest is not medical advice or addiction treatment. If you’re worried about your drinking, the free AUDIT screener takes two minutes, and NIAAA’s Rethinking Drinking has practical tools. In the US, the SAMHSA National Helpline is free, confidential and open 24/7: 1-800-662-4357. If you drink heavily every day, talk to a doctor before stopping suddenly, because alcohol withdrawal can be dangerous.

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