THE CHRISTMAS party circuit is well underway, and drink-aware.ie has created a new Christmas Survival Guide full of hints and tips for festive revellers.
Speaking at the launch of the guide, drinkaware.ie chief executive Fionnuala Sheehan said: “As the Christmas season gets into full swing, we would encourage people to take responsibility for their drinking and plan ahead for their nights out. The drink-aware.ie Christmas Survival Guide has all the hints and tips to ensure you have a good time without overdoing it.
“The guide includes tips on how to get to and from Christmas events safely, highlighting the dangers of drinking and driving. Taking responsibility for your drinking includes knowing how you are going to get home after a night out and if you are safe to drive the morning after.”
A glass of stout, lager or cider, a small glass of wine or a pub measure of spirits is equal to one standard drink, which takes one hour to leave your system; there is no way to speed this up.
The drinkaware.ie Christmas Survival Guide is available to download free on drinkaware.ie, with tips including:
l Eat well, drink plenty of water and give yourself some booze-free nights and plenty of rest. You’ll be glad of it. (And so will those around you!)
l Heading out? If you’re driving, choose the designated driver beforehand. If not, have a taxi number saved in your phone, or book your cab home before you head out. Check transport schedules because most offer an extended service.
l The day after: the only real hangover cure is time. Even if you feel better after a ‘cure’ you still may not be fit to drive. Your body gets rid of one standard drink, on average – that’s half a pint or a glass of wine or a pub measure of spirits – per hour. Log onto drinkaware.ie online drinks calculator to calculate how many standard drinks are in your favourite tipple.
l Don’t go it alone, Missed your last bus, no taxi fare and about to walk home alone? Don’t. Call someone who hasn’t been drinking and then wait in a well-lit area until they arrive. Don’t let a friend wander off into the night alone. Male or female, alone in the dark with a few drinks on board makes you a vulnerable target.
l Beer googles: Want a Christmas and New Year to regret? Let the booze do the chatting up for you. It has now been scientifically proven that the more you drink, the more attractive people appear!
