Christmas parties & family dinners: how to keep your head and enjoy the season

Quick takeaway: Christmas doesn’t have to be a minefield. With a small plan you can protect your recovery (or manage risky moments), keep your privacy and still enjoy connections. Little decisions now = calmer New Year.

Holidays ramp up pressure: social expectations, end-of-year fatigue, travel and more client dinners. For many people that combination nudges coping behaviours back into the foreground. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed - it means you need a short, practical plan that fits a busy life.

Below are quick, executive-friendly tactics you can use today. They keep your performance and privacy intact and help you leave the season with dignity and momentum.

1. Start with a short pre-game audit (5 minutes)

Before any event, answer three private questions:

1. What’s likely to trigger me? (e.g., long family dinners, workplace reward drinks)

2. What feels good to me that isn’t the behaviour? (connection, relaxation, celebration)

3. What’s the one non-negotiable I want to protect? (sleep, family time, morning clarity)

This small audit makes choices obvious in the moment.

2. Use the Traffic-Light pause when the urge appears

Stop → Think → Feel → Breathe → Decide.

A 60-second pause interrupts automatic reactions. It’s the most portable skill we teach - you can use it in taxis, hotel bars or at the kitchen bench. Decide for the next 20 minutes (not forever): walk, call a trusted contact, or choose a deliberately crafted non-alcoholic drink.

(If you want, download our Traffic-Light practice card in Resources.)

3. Protect privacy with neutral logistics

High-performers often worry about reputational risk. Simple steps help:

• Use neutral billing or discuss invoicing descriptors with clinicians if engaging support.

• Use Telehealth and private calendars for sessions.

• If discretion matters, bring a support person you trust or arrange check-in texts rather than public disclosures.

You don’t have to tell anyone more than you want to.

4. Create ceremony without alcohol

Holiday rituals are about meaning. Replace a drinking ritual with something that still feels special:

• A crafted mocktail you look forward to.

• Lighting a candle and sharing a short gratitude ritual.

• Hosting a board-game or conversation starter round that changes the night’s focus.

These rituals meet the emotional need the old habit used to meet - but without the fallout.

5. Set boundary scripts that feel natural

The truth is... you’ll get offers. Have a short, confident line ready:

• “No thanks - I’m driving tomorrow.”

• “I’m taking it easy tonight.”

• “I’m on a new routine and feeling great.”

Keep it simple. Most people accept a brief answer and move on. 

Plus, little white lies like "I'm on antibiotics" are perfectly acceptable too. 

6. Plan an exit and transport

Decide in advance how long you’ll stay and arrange your own transport if possible. Knowing you can leave on your terms removes pressure.

If you feel stuck on how to exit, saying you have to rush to the bathroom for a 💩 is a great way to ensure no one will follow you! 

7. Practice micro-wins and a 24-hour review

Each day, record one private micro-win (binary): Did I use my plan today? Y/N.
A short weekly review of these micro-wins is a powerful resilience builder - it shows progress clearly and reduces rumination.

When to add clinical support

If the season brings repeated urges, narrowing choices, sleep loss or risky episodes, that’s the time to bring clinical support in. A quick, confidential coaching block can give strategies tailored to your exact calendar - and protect your career and wellbeing.

Explore Recovery Coaching (designed for busy people): https://www.thetaraclinic.com/coaching 

FAQs

Q: I don’t want anyone to know I’m getting help - is Telehealth safe?
A: Reputable Telehealth platforms are secure. If privacy is crucial, ask the clinician about neutral billing descriptors and data storage before you book.

Q: What if a party goes sideways and I slip up?
A: One slip doesn’t erase progress. Use immediate safety steps (sleep, hydration, reach out to a trusted contact, or call the ADIS phone line on 1800 250 015) and book a short clinician call to reset the plan.

Q: How do I handle festive work functions where everyone drinks?
A: Use the Traffic-Light pause, bring a non-alcoholic “ritual” drink that looks the part, and set a time limit for staying. If needed, schedule a brief coaching session beforehand to rehearse responses.

Final note:

The season is a chance to strengthen small skills, not to pass a test. Make a private plan that fits your life, celebrate on your terms, and protect the things that matter. If you’d like a clinician-crafted plan for the coming weeks, Recovery Coaching is short, private and built for people who want to keep their life while changing behaviour: https://www.thetaraclinic.com/coaching 

Tara Hurster
Clinical Director, The TARA Clinic
“Find Recovery, Your Way”