Responsible Drinking Tips for the Holidays, Beyond

  • Published
  • By Moody AFB Alcohol & Drug Abuse Prevention & Treatment Program
MOODY AFB, Ga. --  The winter holidays are an exciting time for many, with extra time off work and parties to attend, it is a time of celebration. Many people indulge in popular seasonal beverages such as apple cider, eggnog and hot chocolate; most of which include alcohol. With that in mind, it's important to drink responsibly to avoid the repercussions of overdrinking. 

Moderate drinking can be a great way to celebrate and enjoy the holidays, but often people over indulge and ruin the holidays for themselves and others. Negative consequences from binge drinking  range from harmless fights with family or friends to fatal car accidents. Responsible drinking requires a basic understanding of standard drink sizes. Below are some tips on how to steer clear of drinking danger zones and some advice for party planners to consider when hosting a gathering with alcohol.
Standard drinks contains about 0.5 fluid ounces of pure alcohol (ethanol) which is equivalent to two fluid ounces of beer, five fluid ounces of wine and one and half fluid ounces of liquor.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, men who consume more than four standard drinks in one day or more than 14 drinks per week are considered "at risk" drinkers. While women who consume more than three drinks in one day or more than seven per week are considered "at risk" drinkers.
Here are some tips on how to control your drinking at a party where you are having fun and alcoholic drinks are readily available:

- Eat a full meal or at least heavy appetizers before you begin drinking.
- Drink an eight ounce glass of water in between each drink.
- Pace yourself and beware of drinking games; try to drink no more than one drink an hour.
- Have a plan for driving/sleeping arrangements before you begin drinking.
- Make sure you allow for at least one and a half to two hours of time for each standard drink to metabolize. Taking a standard sized drink into account, if you have four drinks it can take close to eight hours before all of the alcohol is completely out of your system.

Here are some tips if you are planning to host a party where alcohol will be consumed:

- Have games and other activities for your guests to enjoy, alcohol should be secondary to the celebration.
- Ask a non-drinking friend to act as a bartender and ensure they are measuring drinks and monitoring the serving amount provided to guests.
- Offer hearty food and serve more non-alcoholic than alcoholic beverages.
- Stop serving alcohol at least an hour or more before the party ends.
- Designate sober drivers and arrange additional rides home if necessary.

The winter holidays are a time when friends, families and co-workers get together to celebrate, relax and reflect on the passing year while looking forward to the New Year.  Don't let your holiday festivities for 2015 spoil the beginning of 2016.  Have fun, be safe, and have a plan!