233 - 5 Tips to staying sober during the Holiday season

233 - 5 Tips to staying sober during the Holiday season

How do people cope with the challenges of staying sober when the holidays are basically one long party season? Real Recovery Talk host Tom Conrad takes this on with a mix of honesty, humour and straight-talking practical advice aimed at people in early sobriety and those who care about them.

Kicking off with a burst of Christmas carols and jokes about his "Christmas truck" and lights, Tom quickly gets real about how Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year can bring "a lot of get-togethers, a lot of family gatherings, a lot of opportunities to drink and use drugs." His answer is a simple five-step game plan to reduce relapse risk without losing the joy of the season.

First, he urges people to be upfront about their sobriety with family, especially if some relatives still think, "Make sure we have enough beer for him." Tom pushes the idea of being proud of sober time, not hiding it. From there, he moves into boundaries: setting clear arrival and leaving times, telling people in advance, and sticking to it, even if Uncle Johnny fires up a joint at 7pm like clockwork. Support is another big theme.

As a "12-step guy", Tom talks about planning meetings ahead of travel, finding local groups, and seeking out the naturally sober relatives at gatherings. Practical touches like having your own car and separate accommodation show how seriously he takes relapse prevention. Perhaps the most freeing part is his reminder that "you can say no to any of this" – no holiday is worth risking hard-earned sobriety.

Finally, he encourages people to remember why they're there: connection, joy, and seeing it all "through sober eyes" instead of clock-watching for when the bars open. Anyone feeling nervous about the season gets a clear message: with some planning, boundaries and honesty, the holidays can actually feel better sober. How do you want your next holiday to look?