En 2023, many things in the world have gone to shit. So let’s hit the nail on the head: in this section dedicated to wine, at the time when we are preparing the festive menus and the drinks that will accompany them, I wanted to address those who will do without alcohol during the feasts . In this case, I am thinking less of adults who have stuck to soft drinks for years, than of those who appreciate wine, champagne, beer, cocktails, why not spirits, those who generally do not cannot imagine having a party without alcohol, but who, for one reason or another (pregnancy, illness, personal challenge, etc.), must or want to drink something else at the end of December.
Let’s agree: you come at the worst time. Things are much easier in January. Dry January, whether or not it is encouraged by the government (on December 11, 48 addictologists asked the Minister of Health to officially support the alcohol-free month), is increasingly followed by the French population. But when no one around you drinks, it is easier to imitate others. On the other hand, when everyone is drinking glasses or, worse, has a punch in the nose, the temptation is great to imitate them.
So how do you hold on during the end-of-year holidays? How to avoid lamenting over the contents of your glass, how not to die of boredom during family meals at Christmas, how not to be dismayed in front of your dead drunk friends on December 31? For the last two questions, unfortunately I have no answer. It is possible that, with your mind cleared of all ethyl haze, you don’t even want to argue with your loved ones (and that’s no reason to blame them) and that your friends definitely seem like complete idiots to you. starting at 1 a.m. and past four drinks (and again, it’s no big deal, as long as they’re great the rest of the time).
It is advisable to hit hard
On the other hand, if this is your first New Year’s Eve without alcohol, I advise you to hit hard by carefully preparing your ammunition. If you live in Paris or nearby, Le Paon qui boit, a cellar dedicated to non-alcoholic drinks “for adults”, offers some 500 astonishing references. Augustin Laborde and Maud Catté, at the head of this wonderful initiative, have also just published, with the participation of Fabien Humbert (a great connoisseur of alcoholic beverages, which shows that the two worlds are not incompatible), a work entitled Alcohol-free. 1,001 drinks for a new French art of living (Massin, 160 pages, 25 euros). Different types of drinks are detailed, as well as cocktail recipes; there is room for choice.
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