Staying Sober Through the Holidays in Orange County

Orange County does the holidays outdoors. Boat parades light up Newport Harbor and Dana Point, tree lightings draw crowds at Fashion Island, and a winter art festival sets up in Laguna Beach. It’s also a county of long drives, waterfront patios, and a lot of parties, and some holiday events pair the lights with a holiday cocktail. For people in recovery in Aliso Viejo, Laguna Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach, and across Orange County, a local plan makes a difference. If you need more than tips, Laguna Treatment Center in Aliso Viejo is here to help.

Why the Holidays Hit Differently in Orange County

A few things about the local season are worth planning around:

• Boat parades come with parties. Newport Beach’s Christmas Boat Parade is more than 100 years old, and Dana Point Harbor holds its own Boat Parade of Lights. Many people watch from boats, waterfront restaurants, and patios, where alcohol is easy to find.
• Events pair the lights with cocktails. Some tree lightings and resort events serve holiday cocktails, even when they’re billed as family evenings.
• It’s warm, so everything is outdoors. There’s no cold weather as an excuse to stay in, and the calendar fills up fast with patios, harbors, and beach gatherings.
• Everyone drives. Orange County is a drive-everywhere county, and leaving a holiday event usually means getting on a freeway at a busy time.
• Hosts and visitors fill the schedule. Relatives visiting and friends hosting means more dinners out, more parties, and more drinks than usual.

1. Map Your Month and Know Your Triggers

Start by listing the dates you’re likely to be invited out, then decide in advance which to attend, which to skip, and which to do differently. Think about the three triggers that come up most around the holidays: family stress, changes to your routine, and parties where alcohol is everywhere. For each event, ask two questions: will alcohol be central, and can I leave easily?

Check in with yourself throughout the day, too. Whether your calendar is packed with stressful family time or feels empty and lonely, the holidays are emotional. If you’re hungry, tired, or tense, fix it right away: eat, sleep, or step out of the situation.

2. Stay Connected to Your Recovery

The holidays are a good time to add support, not drop it. Keep seeing your therapist, taking your medications, and going to meetings. Alkathons, which are continuous, drop-in open meetings, have long been an AA tradition around Christmas and New Year’s Eve, so ask your home group what’s planned. The Orange County Intergroup Association of Alcoholics Anonymous keeps a directory of in-person and online meetings across the county. Find out which of your regular meetings are canceled for the holidays, and fill the gaps before they happen. Let your sponsor know about your plans, and keep a second person to call if your sponsor isn’t available.

If you’ve completed a Laguna program, you’re alumni for life. Our alumni program hosts weekly online meetings, and AAC Thrive sessions bring alumni together with alumni coordinators from across our facilities. See our alumni activities in Orange County.

3. Set Boundaries With Family and Hosts

You can show up for the people you love without putting your sobriety at risk.

• Be honest. Tell the people close to you what you need, and, if someone is hosting, ask whether the gathering can be alcohol-free. Your family may be part of the stress, but they can also be a real source of support.
• Host your own. If a gathering is built around drinking, host one that isn’t.
• Bring a sober friend. A close friend or your sponsor can keep you accountable and make a party easier.
• Decide how much family time is right. If you feel your sobriety is threatened by a family event, give yourself permission to make other plans.
• Practice your “no.” Have a short, friendly line ready, like “I’m good with water, thanks.” You don’t owe anyone a long explanation.

4. Have an Exit Plan for the Freeways

Plan your exit before you say yes:

• Drive yourself, or arrange your own ride. Don’t depend on someone else’s schedule to get home. Build in extra time for holiday traffic.
• Think twice about boats. A boat party on the water is one of the hardest places to leave. If you want to enjoy a boat parade, watch from shore, where you control when you go.
• Use the pop-in strategy. Tell the host you’re stopping by for a short time, and set a limit, like 20 minutes.
• Line up a phone-a-friend. Ask someone to call you at a set time, and agree on a code word if you need to leave right away.

5. Keep Your Routine, Your Money, and Your Body in Check

Changes to routine are one of the most common holiday triggers, so protect the basics. Keep your sleep, meals, and workouts steady, and enjoy the sunshine with a walk on the beach or a run. Watch your spending, too. It’s tempting to make up for lost holidays with over-the-top gifts, but meaningful gifts won’t leave you with money stress later. If you need extra income or something to keep you busy, seasonal work can help, as long as it doesn’t crowd out your meetings.

6. Remember Your Why, and Be Kind to Yourself

The holidays can stir up loneliness, grief, and the pressure to celebrate. Take a few minutes to remember why you started your recovery, and write down what you’re grateful for and what you’re working toward. Be wary of swapping alcohol for another substance. That is sometimes called “California sober,” but replacing one drug with another doesn’t address the underlying causes of addiction.

If you slip, it doesn’t mean treatment has failed. Relapse is often part of the recovery process. It’s a signal that you need more support or that your treatment plan needs adjusting, so reach out to your sponsor, your therapist, or us right away. Learn more about relapse prevention.

Alcohol-Free Holiday Ideas in Orange County

There’s plenty to do this season without a drink. Check each event’s details first, because some are near restaurants and bars or serve holiday cocktails:

• Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade. Watch the decorated boats and waterfront homes from shore. The parade starts and ends at the tip of Lido Isle.
• Dana Point Harbor. The harbor lights display and the Boat Parade of Lights are both easy to enjoy from the harbor’s edge.
• Sawdust Winter Fantasy in Laguna Beach. The Sawdust Festival’s winter edition is a holiday art and gift festival at 935 Laguna Canyon Road.
• Fashion Island Christmas tree. The tree at Fashion Island in Newport Beach comes to life on a regular schedule in the evening.
• Winter Fest OC. A winter festival at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa with food, entertainment, and snow-themed attractions.
• Newport Dunes holiday lighting. A waterfront resort that hosts a holiday lighting.
• A beach walk or hike. A sunrise or sunset walk by the water costs nothing and keeps you moving.

If You Need More Support This Season

Tips can only go so far. If the holidays are pushing you toward relapse, or if you’re ready to start treatment, don’t wait for a better date. Laguna Treatment Center is in Aliso Viejo, about 20 minutes from John Wayne Airport and close to Laguna Beach and Newport Beach. We’re licensed as a chemical dependency recovery hospital, with medical detox and inpatient treatment, 24/7 nursing monitoring, and a Virtual IOP for continuing care. Detox typically lasts 7 to 9 days, and residential stays range from 21 to 90 days. Laguna is in-network with many major insurers, including Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Cigna, and Kaiser Permanente. Our admissions team is available around the clock at .

If a loved one is the one you’re worried about, learn how family visits and updates work at Laguna. You can also read about how admissions works and see all of our levels of care.