Have a Happy & Healthy Holiday Season!
Well it is December and this means the holidays are arriving quickly. It is time to get together with friends and family and celebrate the holiday season and welcome the New Year. Regardless of how you choose to spend this cold winter month, all of us at the Be You Promise want to wish you a happy holiday and a Happy New Year. We hope that you can enjoy this season as much as possible, and end this year being the best you that you can possibly be. This means keep making good choices and stay safe so that you can enter the New Year happy and healthy.
We know that many people like to celebrate by grabbing a drink with their friends or enjoying a few beverages with holiday meals. But remember that even one drink is one drink too many for you to get behind the wheel. Research has shown that a single alcoholic beverage can lead to impairments in a person’s cognitive functioning. This means that even though you may not feel intoxicated, the alcohol is having an impact on your brain that results you not being a safe driver. We urge you to remember this so that you can stop yourself from putting both yourself and everyone else on the road at risk.
There are numerous options available to help everyone get home safe this holiday. The first step is to make a plan to get everyone safe before the evening begins. This could involve assigning a designated driver or arranging for someone to pick you up, using public transportation or taxi, or booking a designated driver. Even if you happen to be without a plan, there are lots of driving services that are ready and willing to get both you and you’re vehicle home safe. For example, operation red nose is a designated driver service that runs every holiday season with the helpful and caring hands of volunteers. Check out some of the apps that are now available to download on your smartphones that make booking a designated driver even easier!
Although we recognize that having a drink with dinner can be an enjoyable experience for some, we also encourage you to try and opt for some healthier drink options this month. Consuming alcohol, even in mild to moderate doses is associated with an increased risk of developing a physical or mental illness. Yes, even one drink is putting toxins into your body that it now has to work extra hard to get out. Therefore, think about adding some more water to your diet; or, get creative and trying making a non-alcoholic festive drink. We have included some great and tasty recipes for some fun holiday Mocktails. Take a look and try them out. Or, dig into your creative holiday spirit and see if you can come up with a non-alcoholic alternative that tastes great and keeps you and your guests safe.
As a gift to yourself and your friends and family, think about taking the Be You Promise and commit to being the best you that you can possibly be. Remember that you don’t need alcohol or drugs to have fun. Celebrating in a safe and healthy way will help you in ringing in the New Year with a healthy and happy start. Stay safe and stay sober this holiday season and join us at the Be You Promise to help your future and our community to be the best that it can be.
Be You Promise.Org
Holiday Mocktail Recipes
