How do you handle drinking alcohol at family events?

I get a nice buzz that’ll allow me to tune multiple people out.

We don’t have it anymore. One family member had a serious problem with it.

Our family events have gone no alcohol, which is much better.

Family get togethers are not centered around alcohol.If someone wants to have a drink,then they are welcome to if it is there..If they don’t,then that is fine too. ;)

I don’t have a family. XD

But when going to friend’s family gatherings, or when I had a boyfriend and visited his huge family, it was easy enough. In my recent experiences, (two friends and that ex boyfriend) the families eat and drink a lot, but they really have some neon shining limits. Not the type of people to ever get rowdy or violent, so it wasn’t a big deal. Just normal parties. Bring on the wine!

I’ve seen my share of people going rotten on booze though, and there are telltale signs that I can recognize, which would make me leave, if it was possible. Or stay the hell out the way, and never go back lol.

Most family events, like get togethers for a holiday or because someone from out of town is in town, don’t have alcohol, because most of us don’t drink much. My dad has taken to having wine, so he will have a glass. I think at Christmas dinner with my husband’s family they sometimes have wine, or offer up some sort of liquor if they think of it, if they have something special. I can’t even remember it being every Xmas though. As far as weddings or large celebrations at a restaurant or event site, there is always alcohol available, but again, nobody is drinking much. I would say two is the most I have ever seen anyone drink in the last 20 years. Some people have none, some one. No rhyme or reason.

My family never had an issue with drinking at get-togethers. I think it’s because we’re Asian, and almost all Asians drink alcohol only with food, with their meals, not socially like a lot of white people do. In other words, alcohol is never consumed by itself in social/family gatherings.

@MRSHINYSHOES In Japan people drank like fishes when I was there. We did have dinner also, but still, heavy drinking.

@JLeslie Yes, but I’m talking about solely family get-togethers. In traditional close-knit Asian families, they don’t do that. But when friends are involved, they might do it, or when they go out to restaurants to celebrate, most definitely. Or among co-workers, salary men, etc., yes they do drink socially. But not your typical close family get-togethers.

@MRSHINYSHOES Ah yes, my mistake. I am answering on several different alcohol Q’s and did not keep them well separated in my head. My apologies.

My feelings about drinking at family get-togethers is pretty lenient, however, I’m limited by the law because I am not legally able to drink. I have stolen a few sips and a shot or two or four on occasion, though, but shh! you’re not supposed to know that. My family never really gets all that drunk, though, because either they don’t drink at all, only have a few drinks, or have an insane tolerance. All in all, they’re a very responsible bunch, though.

With my family, the problem is choosing between beer (often a brand I don’t like, like Becks) or wine (my parents have a decent-sized wine cellar), and there is often a little something afterwards; sometimes a little cognac (the $200+/bottle stuff) if the occasion is special enough to warrant, just a sweet dessert wine or liqueur otherwise.

With my wife’s family, well, it’s moot since neither my wife nor I deal with them any more. In fact, they may be why she drinks…

It’s never been an issue. If I feel like drinking I drink, and if I don’t feel like drinking, I don’t drink.

I kind of hate to admit this, but our Easter dinners are kind of known to be drunken Easter parties. One year, my ex-husband, current husband, and adult step-son got all kinds of drunk together. They had their arms around each other in that “I love you, man.” way that drunk guys have. By the end of the night, one of them had fallen off our porch! Anyway, the children were shocked to see these grown men acting like children themselves, but it was all rather enjoyable. Luckily, we don’t have any mean drunks in the bunch. Just happy-go-lucky ones. I have no idea why, but it’s pretty much only on Easter. We aren’t religious.

Actually it’s not the drinker but the nagger who’s constantly badgering as they walk through the door and continually all through the party until they leave that chaps me. Usually a drinker will (basically) keep to themselves, rarely making a spectacle of their habit but it comes out pretty strong when someone nags at them so if someone is drinking, don’t make an issue of it but if THEY make it an issue then invite them out.

I try to drink as much as possible, it’s better for me that way.

Handle? I’ve always observed family events were where underage kids got to smuggle/pilfer booze and adults got to cut loose. I’ve never seen a brawl break out or horrible accident take place. Some of the best parties I’ve ever attended have been family ones.

My family tends to just get a bit tipsy, but it just seems to be a general concensus made befoore I was born to not get drunk. I don’t drink at all so I can laugh at the stupid goings on – and help anyone up to bed who needs it.