Gathering with family and friends during the holiday season can be both fun and stressful. If you’re hosting, you can take simple but meaningful steps be supportive of a recovering adult family member or friend.

People in recovery want to blend in to the party or flow of the day without special attention. That also means they don’t want to worry about the host or other guests not being able to enjoy themselves.

If you’re hosting and will be serving alcohol, make sure plenty of non-alcoholic drinks are also available. Your guests are responsible for their own behavior and their own recovery. But, don’t put someone in recovery on the spot by passing around bottles of wine or cocktails. Let people serve themselves.

Throwing an alcohol-free holiday party is an option if you’re concerned that the stress of the season or the pressure to drink at a party will be too much for a friend or family member in recovery.

• A party without alcohol can be a lot of fun with proper planning. Some tips include:
• Let invited guests know ahead of time that the gathering will be alcohol-free.
• Host the gathering at a time that’s not typically associated with drinking, either in the morning or early afternoon to reduce alcohol triggers.
• Give your party a theme.
• Serve a variety of non-alcoholic beverages, like regular and diet soda, bottled and flavored waters, tea and coffee, juices or a signature non-alcoholic drink.
• Focus on the food. By offering plenty of choices, food can take the focus away from drinks. Offer finger foods, snacks, vegan/vegetarian options, build-your-own tacos or pizzas, cookie decorating, etc.
• Plan fun activities.

Have a safe, happy and healthy holiday season.

Rosary Hall at St. Vincent Charity Medical Center in Cleveland has been at the forefront of treating alcoholism and drug dependency for more than 60 years. At Rosary Hall, patients and their families find the road to freedom in a recovery process that’s compassionate, comprehensive and one of the best in the country. In fact, Rosary Hall is the only addiction treatment center in the region to provide a full spectrum of the most current treatment options, from hospital detoxification to community-based rehabilitation, to the latest medication-assisted treatments.

To reach Rosary Hall, call 216-363-2580 and press 4 to speak with a caregiver immediately. Learn more about our co-medical directors, Dr. Ted Parran and Dr. Christopher Adelman.