I am not only Canadian but also a skier and I confess that ski pic.jpgI spend most February Sundays on the slopes. However, I am painfully aware that this is the weekend when my friends south of the border get all excited about football, make Pinterest-worthy snacks, and start buzzing about the great commercials that will shown – which, by the way, are entirely pre-empted up here in Canada by regular old boring local ads. It’s Super Bowl weekend, and for many of you, that means party time.

I get it, I get it. It’s warmer there, you can play football all year. And your tv commercials have Amy Schumer and CGI dancing dogs and last like, 273 seconds. Your parties are sparkly, your cheerleaders have tans, and your sportscasters look like they’re en route to a nightclub.

So while I stew in my resentments (and shovel my driveway), let’s take a moment to talk about how you can get through a Super Bowl Party with your sobriety intact.

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First, if you are newly sober you must consider if you should go at all. Think of your sobriety like a newborn baby. Is your baby old enough to go to a party yet, or should you be home nurturing that sweet babe and protecting the precious little thing from the world for a touch longer? Just consider it – the world won’t end if you stay home and eat ice cream and watch all those awesome commercials in your pjs. In fact, you could provide a service to your neighbours up north by Periscope-ing the best bits for us (comment with your handle if you plan to do this, please).

What’s that? You’re newly sober but you are committed to HOSTING the party? Oh yep, that’s a toughie but you can get through it. I highly recommend you listen to the podcast I link to in my post “Erin’s Nest” in which our guest Erin describes getting through an event she hosted by making herself a hidey-hole in the closet with magazines, pillows, and a water bottle that she could sneak into periodically when she felt overwhelmed.

As for the rest of you, it IS possible to get through a party sober and still have fun. A few basic strategies include:

  • Bring your own beverage of choice and boldly fill your own glass so that no one pressures you (remember, most people are just trying to be good hosts by offering you a drink and don’t really care WHAT you are drinking as long as your glass is full).
  • Bring your own transportation so you can leave immediately if you feel uncomfortable. Try to ensure anyone you bring with you understands they may have to find their own way home.
  • If you are uncomfortable socially, help out behind the scenes. Wash dishes or go play with the kids.
  • Try actually following the game (or is it only me who finds this a novel idea? Did I mention I am not a football girl?)
  • If you feel shaky or triggered, slip into the bathroom and text a sober pal, read UnPickled, search “xa” on Twitter, or Google inspirational quotes. Take a breather and regroup.
  • Eat the sweet stuff. Sugar can help negate cravings for alcohol – it’s a brain thing. Plus you won’t miss the taste of booze as much with sweets as you will with nuts, cheese or savories.

Please share your sober party strategies in the comments section, funny stories of what has or hasn’t worked for you, or leave a question if you are wondering how to get through an event. If it’s not one thing it’s another – no sooner will this weekend pass then another event will be upon us to dust off our social skills.