Christmas Cheats & Sober Treats: Stay Strong and Alcohol-Free
- Muhammad Wasim
- Oct 23
- 5 min read
The holiday season often brings mixed feelings for women who are walking the path of sobriety. On one hand: festive treats, gatherings, cocktails, “just one more,” and old habits creeping in. On the other hand: the desire to protect your progress, stay true to your alcohol-free lifestyle and feel aligned with your values. At Sobriety Sisterhood, our mission is to empower women to be sober, be happy, be healthy — even during the most tempting times of year.
Here’s how you can navigate “Christmas cheats” (the old patterns, the temptations) and savour “sober treats” (joyful alternatives, supportive rituals) — with your sober coach, our courses, and the community behind you.
1. Recognize the Cheats: What the Season Brings
Holiday gatherings, year-end stress, family traditions and social pressure can all trigger urges and habits. Maybe “just one drink” spirals into many. Maybe the “cheat” is thinking moderation this one time is safe. These moments often come when you’re physically surrounded by celebration, but emotionally disconnected from what you really want.
Your sober coach (in this case, founder Ellen, trauma-informed and experienced in this space) helps you anticipate these triggers: the toast that quickly becomes several, the “wine with dinner” that turns into full bottles, the meaning attached to “cheers” that you once accepted and now question. When you bring awareness to the cheats, you can shift them into sober treats.
2. Define Your Sober Treats: Joy Without Compromise
A “sober treat” is anything you do in place of the old habit that actually supports your well-being, connection and joy. For the Christmas season, consider:
A beautiful sparkling non-alcoholic drink with friends that feels ritualistic, special and festive.
Hosting or attending a gathering where the main focus isn’t drinking but connection: games, sharing stories of growth, gratitude circles.
Signing up for a holiday-specific mini-workshop or challenge within Sobriety Sisterhood’s online community dedicated to staying alcohol free through December.
Gifting yourself or another woman in the sisterhood a session with your sober coach or enrolling in the self-paced course as a treat of self-investment.
Starting a new ritual: daily short reflection, “what I’m proud of in my sobriety this year,” or “what I choose instead of a drink tonight.”
By reframing “treat” as something that aligns with your true values — health, freedom, authenticity — you shift from deprivation to empowerment.
Fun Fact : Did you know the tradition of Christmas treats dates back to medieval times, when people baked “Yule cakes” to celebrate the winter solstice? These sweet treats symbolized light and renewal — the perfect reminder that you can find joy without alcohol this season!
3. The Role of the Sober Coach: Partnering Your Holiday Strategy
At Sobriety Sisterhood, a key offering is 1:1 coaching with Ellen, who brings 20 years in health & lifestyle and is proudly sober since 2018. On your holiday journey she:
Helps you map out what your “cheats” have looked like in past years and how to design alternatives.
Works with you to develop a holiday-action plan: Who, what, when, where — e.g., I’ll arrive at the party at 7pm, stay until 10, leave with my non-alcoholic sparkling drink; I’ll call my accountability partner if I feel triggered.
Supports you in real time: maybe send you a check-in message before the family gathering or an after-event reflection that night.
Guides you through deeper emotional work: maybe why Christmas feels lonely, maybe why alcohol used to fill a gap — so you don’t just “get through the holidays” but actually upgrade your life.
In essence: the sober coach is your strategic partner and emotional ally through the holiday season — not just to survive it, but to thrive in it.
4. How Sobriety Sisterhood Courses & Community Support You
Our platform offers more than just coaching. Here’s how you can leverage it this Christmas:
Self-Paced Course: Dive into modules when you have free time over the holiday break. Revisit your triggers, set your boundaries, refresh your purpose in sobriety.
Online Community & Group Coaching: Connect with other women who are navigating exactly this season. Share wins (I made it through the party) and challenges (I felt the urge). Realise you’re not alone in the “cheat vs treat” tug-of-war.
Retreats & Connection Opportunities: While perhaps not happening exactly this December, knowing a transformational retreat is planned gives you a vision beyond today — a sober treat that you can build toward.
Newsletter & Free Resources: Regular gentle nudges, reflections, and tips can carry you through December’s busier pace.
Community is one of the most powerful tools: you’ll see women who were tempted, stood up for themselves, chose connection over consumption, and now feel proud of their holiday. When you see that reflection, your own commitment becomes stronger.
Fun Fact : Candy canes — a classic Christmas treat — were originally created in the 1600s by a choirmaster in Germany to help children stay quiet during church services! They were shaped like shepherds’ crooks to symbolize peace and guidance — values that align beautifully with the journey of sobriety and support.
5. Your Christmas Cheat-Proof Checklist
To make this practical, here is a holiday checklist you can print or keep on your phone:
Decide ahead: What is my non-negotiable boundary this Christmas? (e.g., “I will not drink alcohol,” or “I will stay no longer than 2 hours at the gathering.”)
Choose my sober treat: Something I look forward to that aligns with me (a fancy mocktail, a holiday walk with a friend, a meditation session).
Have my coach/community check-in point: I’ll message Ellen or post in the sisterhood group if I feel triggered / before the event / after the event.
Identify trigger moments: E.g., “When Grandma asks why I don’t drink, I will say…”, “When the bar opens up at 9pm I will…”, “If I feel anxious I will…”
Celebrate myself: At the end of the day, reflect on what I did instead of drink, thank myself for showing up, remind myself this is a life upgrade — not a sacrifice.
6. From Cheats to Treats — A Holiday with Heart
Christmas doesn’t have to be the most dangerous time for your sobriety. With the right mindset, support and strategy, it can be one of the most meaningful. You don’t need to feel deprived — you need to feel uplifted. With your sober coach at Sobriety Sisterhood, with the community of women walking this path by your side, you can choose freedom, connection and a richer holiday experience.
Here’s to December being a season of joy, clarity and purpose — one where you trade the “cheat” habit for a “sober treat” ritual, maybe for the first time ever. And when the new year rolls in, you look back not with regret but with pride: you stood for yourself, you grew, you connected, you celebrated — on your terms.
If you are ready to take that step, dive into our self-paced course, book your discovery call, or join the community now. You’re not doing this alone. You’re doing it with sisters.
FREE 15 minute Discovery Call with Ellen,
please click on the Free Discovery Call Book Now option.
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