It’s the time of year when many of us reconsider our relationship with alcohol, often through the novelty of Dry January.
However, Dry January can pose some pretty serious questions if you do find it difficult to drink alcohol, particularly if it is a struggle or you’ve failed at it pretty spectacularly. That isn’t unusual, in fact, it can often be just the encouragement someone needs to go to alcohol rehab and recognize their problem.
Of course, for others, it’s a nice way of having a bit of a detox, cleansing the body, and embarking on a healthier 12 months. But it does leave a rather pub-shaped hole in life too.
You’re not going to want to stop seeing your friends, so here are some fantastic evening alternatives to still enjoy family and friend time, but without a drop of booze…
Start going to a class
While giving up alcohol may be one new year’s resolution, many look to start a new hobby too. So, why not kill two birds with one stone and replace the pub with some form of class. It can be anything that tweaks your interest from learning pottery to getting fit at a running club, painting, poetry, and anything in between.
You’ll find dozens of listings on local What’s On websites, so take a look and see what you can find. It could be the start of learning a brand new skill.
Form a team
If you’re a group of friends that meet up at the pub once a week, why not use that time to form some sort of sports team. It could be five-a-side football, darts, bowling, or anything else. Have a think about what you all like and what you’d most benefit from and look into it.
Cinema club
If you’re a bit of a movie buff, you could easily replace the amount of money you spend on alcohol with a cinema ticket, and a group of you could go down to watch the latest releases. Making it a weekly thing, it provides a fantastic escape as well as the chance to critique the film afterward. You’ll end up seeing movies you never anticipated seeing, and it will become a real movie know-it-all, especially when it comes to awards season.
Start volunteering
You could use your time to be productive and help your community. Every evening there will be things going on in your town or local city that require help from local residents, so why not find something to volunteer for.
It could be related to your hobbies and interests, or you could get out and do things such as helping the homeless by providing them with hot meals and something to drink. You’ll find it hugely gratifying and will be making a difference in many people’s lives both directly and indirectly.
