Holiday traditions are important. However, sometimes traditions have to change with the times. Sobriety can be an opportunity to establish new holiday traditions. The holidays are an excellent time to connect with loved ones and friends. Now is the time to find new ways and root traditions that might last decades into the future. Here’s how to create new holiday traditions in sobriety and start a new trend.
Creating New Holiday Traditions in Sobriety
Connections and Disconnections
Psychologists advise healthy friendships for future sobriety. Sometimes, this means leaving old, unhealthy friendships behind to find new connections. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to cut someone out if they don’t respect your journey. When they catch up, you’ll still be there!
The holidays are a good time to seek new connections. Enjoy the holiday season and use it as a unique opportunity to forge strong future friendships.
New Holiday Traditions with Zoom Meetings and Online Greets
Zoom meetings are a quick way to connect with your support network. If you’re spending the holidays inside, link up with some of your favorite international friends. You can even turn this into a yearly tradition and have an online meeting whenever needed!
Getting together doesn’t have to mean spending hours at a holiday party. It can mean meeting up with a trusted few online!
Remember: tradition can be anything you might enjoy and want to do again next year.
Learning New Recipes
The kitchen is a great place for simple togetherness. The holidays provide a worthy excuse to get together in the kitchen. New recipes can be a yearly tradition for friends or family. Include a unique non-alcoholic drink that your guests will love.
Kitchens are an ancient meeting place. They’re also a great place to form modern traditions.
- Have you always wanted to learn to make a good sauce from scratch?
- What about learning how to make quiche the traditional way?
Set new recipes as traditions, and save recipes for future holiday gatherings.
Spark Past Traditions Again
Go back into your family history, or ask friends what their families might have done for the holidays in times past. People can create holiday traditions from the memories of past years instead of inventing them from nothing.
Grandparents often have traditions from the past that might have forgotten. If you find an old tradition you like or enjoy, you can incorporate it into future holidays.
Old-school holiday traditions can include:
- Decorating the tree
- Getting together for holiday photographs
- Volunteer
- Baking cookies or making a gingerbread house
- Going ice skating
- Holiday movie marathon
Get Out And Celebrate The Holiday
The holidays are the perfect time for creative things to do.
Holiday traditions don’t have to be tied to past holiday things! For example, make paintball or an escape room a holiday tradition. Or, if you think a Lord of the Rings marathon is ideal, so be it!
The point to consider here is that there’s no limit to holiday traditions. Anything that unites friends and celebrates friendship or family counts!
Gaming, Anyone? Fun New Holiday Traditions in Sobriety
Entertainment can be anything around the holidays, and gaming is growing as a modern holiday tradition. For some people, their ideal game is playing Scrabble. Others might picture World of Warcraft or Fortnite.
Create a new tradition with a holiday-themed game night. Gaming can be a worthy group activity. The whole family or friend circle can get into it, especially if there’s a shared favorite game.
Tradition doesn’t have to be old-fashioned; it just has to be fun!
Board games and card games are making a comeback. Online video games leave a whole world of potential, from Mario Kart to Guitar Hero.
Staying Connected
Sobriety is about staying connected to your loved ones. Our close friends and family are essential to the journey: keep them close, especially during the holidays.
Schedule your time over the holidays and stay connected to important people. This can include your direct sobriety support network but might also extend to new friendships formed over the holidays. Focus on creating new holiday traditions that avoid triggers and prioritize self-care.
People create traditions, especially new ones, to have fun. Never take tradition too seriously!
Sobriety, New Holiday Traditions and Celebration
Committing to a plan and sticking to it is the best way to get through the holidays while in recovery. Stay grounded and say no to holiday celebrations that could leave you stressed or anxious. In your sobriety, new holiday traditions can be a creative and meaningful new way to celebrate the season.
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