
I have talked about this a few times on my blog, but in case you are new, then I have a secret to reveal *leans in* – I don’t drink alcohol!! I don’t have scary story of addiction or anything nearly that exciting, but I did drink until I was about 28, more often than not though, being the designated driver from about 26 onwards.
As 28 my friend was staying with me and we had half a bottle of wine between us one night and I was up half the night feeling poorly. So I decided to stop, it just wasn’t worth it. I haven’t missed it once, so it was definitely the right decision and I haven’t had drop now for 16 years!
I mention this as it’s one of the reasons why Christmas parties or Dos are really not my thing. I imagine it can’t just be me that doesn’t like Christmas Dos, so I thought I would put together a few reasons why it’s a 🙈 from me:
- I have for years worked at least 20 miles away from work and so the logistics of getting to and from a work outing are always a nightmare. If I take public transport I have to take the last train back on my own (not fun), but if I go in the car, it’s hard to know where to park as again, I usually have to walk back to the car by myself.
- I don’t drink, so at acertain time in every night, people have reached the point where they don’t notice the packed pushing and shoving that occurs and my stone cold sober self really really does!
- I usually need to leave way before most other people do to get the last train or to walk back to my car at a reasonable hour, which means I either have to practice my comedy tiptoe sneaking out technique OR hug every single person on the do and deal with 10-12 girls either telling me they love me asking me why I am leaving!
- As a non-drinker, I am sometimes expected to pitch in evenly for a mass restaurant food bill. Actually, it’s not that I am expected, it’s just that people don’t really get I am just drinking water. More than once, I have just paid way over the odds rather than trying to explain rationally to a person off their face on Jager Bombs why my bill should be £24 not £34!
- If I do go out in my car, I am sometimes expected to give people lifts home. I am rarely asked directly, but mostly people shoot me hopeful looks when talking about cabs, or ask me, without context, “Are you driving?”. Now I don’t mind giving people lifts at all, when it’s on my own terms, but I DO mind the expectation.
- Lastly, I just don’t enjoy them as much as I did. Work’s dos especially can be a minefield of crying girls, indiscreet gossip and people looking sorrowfully at me at my lack of inebriation. It might be my age, but I doubt it = I just think that I love being at home, snuggled in my comfies, watching a good box-set.
Just me?
G x