Surviving the festive season

“Last year Christmas went by in one big blur,” says Juliet, a 33-year-old office manager from Brighton. “Meeting up with friends before the Christmas break – as well as attending two work parties – meant I felt hungover throughout most of December. I’d wake up in the morning with an empty wallet, a sore head and a large receipt from the bar, thinking ‘what was I doing last night?’”

Luckily, it's easier than you might think to avoid turning Christmas into an extended hangover. With a few simple tips you can manage your drinking to ensure you don't miss a minute of the holidays.

Social pressures

For many people a packed social diary can mean pressure to drink more than usual. After all, when well-meaning friends start getting rounds in it's hard to keep track of how many drinks you’ve had. It can be the same when friends come round to celebrate too.

"When you've got friends over it's easy to keep glasses topped up without realising how much you've drunk," says Juliet. "Sometimes when I clear away the next day I realise that we've polished off the equivalent of a bottle of wine each."

Suffering from a hangover the next morning is bad enough, but regularly overdoing it can be the beginning of more serious health problems.

For a start, too much alcohol is bad news for the waistline, not surprising when you consider a typical bottle of wine contains over 500 calories (that’s the same as a large post-pub hamburger). A really heavy binge can lead to alcohol poisoning, while in the long-term too much alcohol can affect your skin, your heart and your liver.

Overindulging can be hard on your bank balance as well as your body. Because most pubs now take debit or credit cards you can easily go way over your Christmas budget ordering rounds at the bar. If you are entertaining at home why not consider offering your guests some reduced alcohol ‘mocktails’ or ‘credit punch’? There are numerous recipes available for some of your favourite drinks but with lower alcohol content.

Healthy break

Having a healthier, less hungover Christmas needn't mean abstaining from alcohol altogether. Instead, why not treat your liver to some regular breaks? The NHS recommends taking alcohol off the menu entirely for at least two days after a heavy session. That 48 hour period gives your body time to properly metabolise what's left in your liver and let it recover from alcohol's toxic effects.
If you are out and about with friends remember to pace yourself and try to plan a few activities that don’t revolve around alcohol.

“This year I’m planning a couple of evenings with friends just wrapping up presents, making homemade decorations and watching movies,” says Juliet. “Some people have moaned when I mentioned not bringing wine, but loads more have confided it'll be nice not to waste the next day being hungover.”

How to survive the festive season

Know how much is too much - Government guidelines recommend women drink no more than two to three units a day (one 175ml glass of wine or three single vodkas), while men keep under three to four units (two pints of standard beer or four single vodkas). That might sound plenty on paper, but be aware that it’s easy to drink much more when someone else is taking care of the measures. If you are unclear, read the 'how much is too much?' feature on this site.

Don't drink on an empty stomach - Eating a meal (preferably with carbohydrates like bread or pasta) before you start drinking will work to slow down the effects of alcohol.

Make soft drinks part of your celebration - If orange juice or cola doesn’t cut it then whizz up some fresh fruit smoothies at home or ask for a virgin cocktail at the bar (they're easier on the wallet too...).
What’s the rush? An expensive wine, quality beer or sophisticated spirit is best savoured rather than downed so sip slowly and alternate alcohol with soft drinks to see celebrations through to the early hours.

Avoid having a hair of the dog - Treating a hangover with more alcohol will make you feel far worse in the long run. Instead, have a healthy snack to raise blood sugar levels and drink lots of water to rehydrate and get rid of your headache.

Keep a drink diary - Keeping a record of what you're drinking during December is an excellent way to spot when you need to have a break. Register for our confidential and easy-to-use online diary.

Find out more about how to manage your drinking in the tips and tools area of this website and the facts section has further information on the effects of alcohol. 

Page last updated by

Unknown, 10 May 2012.

Page checked on

01 Dec 2008