Seasons Greetings: Three Ways to Be a Good Friend
Family, friends, and food: the holidays are all about three of Betera’s favorite things. As we eagerly await cramped dinner tables and time-honored traditions, we’re reflecting on how skipping a round, skipping a day, or skipping a month can add even more good tidings and cheer to the season. For us, choosing to skip helps us be good friends; here are three ways.
Good friends bring non-alcoholic options
Good friends bring non-alcoholic beverages to holiday gatherings so everyone can toast the occasion.
People cut back on alcohol intake for different reasons: better sleep, weight loss, pregnancy, etc. Some folks openly discuss their desire to drink more mindfully, while others prefer privacy; bringing delicious and complex adult non-alcoholic beverages is a great way to show your family and friends that you both see and support their journeys. Prepare to be surprised and delighted when you share your favorite non-alcoholic drinks with your favorite people!
Good friends show up for each other
Henry David Thoreau has a famous quote that includes the line: “I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” These coming weeks are chock-full of opportunities to get at the marrow life has to offer.
The precious and fleeting time you have to bond with nieces and nephews, meet your BFF’s baby, welcome your new sister-in-law into the family, be regaled with stories by your grandparents, etc, is one of life's unique joys.
It’s also a freaking nightmare to do while hungover.
Truly showing up for those you love is where the marrow lives- it’s in your bones. And it’s a lot easier to be present for these moments when mindful consumption helps you avoid the dreaded holiday hangover.
Good friends offer to be the designated driver
Chauffeuring your tipsy friends home as the designated driver isn’t only a really cool thing to do for your buddies. Drunk driving prevalence increases during holidays and designated drivers help make the roads safer.
At the very least your loved ones return home safely, and you wake up the morning after a night out at your hometown bars bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.
Here’s to being a good friend this season. Here’s to the marrow.