Easter celebration strategies when you’ve reduced your drinking  

For many of us, Easter  and the holiday break that surrounds it, is all about getting away with family, encouraging celebrations, overindulging on chocolate eggs, and perhaps a drink or two. If that all sounds like the perfect Easter break, apart from the indulgence in alcohol, we’ve got your back.  

Here at Hello Sunday Morning we know that annual holidays and events can be difficult triggers for many. At times, turning to your community such as using the Daybreak app – might help you when you need that little extra support. 

Here are the 3 frequent worries many share when approaching festive times:

‘I’m worried about relapsing’

That’s ok! The most important thing here is that you go easy on yourself as you take stock and re-set.  

Read advice on how to refocus:

What to do with relapse?

Relapse means different things to different people – for some, it is a return to drinking after being abstinent, whereas for others it is a return to their old behaviour after a period of drinking moderately.

‘It’s the first time I’ll see everyone
since I made changes to my drinking,
how can I talk about my decision?’

Change can be challenging to get used to – let alone to have to tell others about. The good news is that having an honest conversation about where you are at can be a way of you asserting what your end goal is and why it matters to you.

How do I talk to those around me about my decision to quit alcohol

Surprisingly, talking to those around  you about your decision to have a break from alcohol, is difficult. It may be that drinking to excess is part of their identity, or their social life involves drinking and drinking related activities. Read more tips here.

‘I'm worried I'll feel pressure from

others to drink’

Planning ahead for scenario’s where you might feel pressured is one of the secrets to success as you step towards sobriety. Sometimes you need a hand to help you plan for responses and situations to say ‘No’ and feel more in control of your decision to not drink.  

Read this helpful piece on how to say ‘No’ 

Take the pressure off responses – how to tell others you’re not drinking

While you don’t owe anyone an explanation about your reason for not drinking, having a set of responses ready to go can make all the difference in backing yourself and feeling confident. 

Reducing your drinking doesn’t mean you’ve reduced your ability to celebrate 

In fact, you’ve enhanced it with improved health and wellbeing. If you’re heading off to an event, or prolonged holiday celebrations, there are ample ways to contribute and keep yourself and others occupied without alcohol. We’ve created a fun checklist of alcohol-free activities to get egg-cited about.   

Non-drinking twists to Easter celebrations:  

• Host an easter egg treasure hunt  
• Get the old-fashioned egg and spoon race happening in the backyard  
• Create Easter crafts with friends   
• Cook up an Easter Omelette and challenge others to produce their best too   

• Gather round the table and share photos of the old days over a cuppa   
• Paint Easter eggs with the kids  
• Make an easter egg shaped pinata ahead of time – and prepare for the mayhem   
• Host a trivia quiz   
• Create Easter treats together and get into decorating cookies and cakes   

• Challenge friends to a round of mini golf  
• Host an alcohol-free dinner party   

However, not everyone’s up for group celebrations when there is a chance to recharge and reset over a holiday break.  

Reward yourself  

• Find a holiday market and buy fresh produce or slow cooked products    
• Buy yourself a new bike or sporting gear and test it and yourself out  
• Take yourself out to a café for brunch or afternoon tea  
• Crack open a puzzle, a limited-edition Lego set or even a new book   
• Netflix and chill with a hot chocolate (and easter eggs)   

• Head off hiking or camping and explore new routes or walking tracks  
• In advance, buy yourself that ‘I’d love to own one day’ longed for tool / equipment / treasure and enjoy getting to know and use it over Easter   
• Hobby time – if you’ve got a few days off work – turn off the phone and immerse yourself in a long discarded or newfound hobby   
• Make or decorate Easter eggs to give to friends and family, or enjoy them yourself   

Distract yourself 

• Shed time is never dead time – tinker to your hearts content  
• Wash the car and give the engine a check over  
• Recover, reupholster, upcycle and transform furniture and treasures  
• Go Garage sale hunting or Easter sale bargain shopping   

• Get out of the house, and hit the trail on bike, foot or in car with a mate   
• Feed your curiosity – visit a significant place in history, a monument, heritage house or place of national significance   
• Visit an art gallery  
• See a movie   
• Exhaust yourself with physical exercise – focussing on your body helps you feel great too   

• Enquire about a social or hobby club you’ve been meaning to look into   
• Top your snooze time up – sleep in, go to bed early or have an afternoon nap,   

And when you feel like company, spend time with those who can accept and support your choice.   

Share your Easter celebration memories with us that didn’t involve alcohol, or what you’re planning to hop into for the next celebration.