The Siren Song of Holiday Cocktails: Why I Haven’t Had Alcohol in a Year (and How I’m Staying Strong This Season.

Taryn Sisco
1 day ago
3 min read

In Greek mythology, sirens were these beautiful, otherworldly creatures who sang songs so seductive, sailors would crash their ships trying to reach them. The sirens weren’t the danger, the desire was. The temptation, the illusion, the feeling that something sweet could rescue you.

And I don’t know about you, but sometimes a holiday cocktail feels exactly like that.

That first pour of wine when the family tension starts to bubble. The boozy punch that promises to turn a chaotic party into a cozy night. The belief that if you just sip something strong, you can numb the noise or make the awkward moments more tolerable.

It’s been over a year since I’ve had alcohol.

And yes, even now, I still hear the sirens. Especially this time of year.

Why I Stopped Drinking

I didn’t hit rock bottom. I didn’t have a dramatic wake-up call. I actually never even drank to get drunk. But I noticed alcohol was doing nothing good for me. It was messing with my sleep. It was disrupting my blood sugar. It was making my anxiety worse, not better. And I was waking up the next day feeling off asking myself why I kept doing this to my body when it clearly wasn’t helping me feel more like myself. And again, I was never drinking to get drunk. I was just having a consistent glass of wine pretty much every night to unwind. Just enough to screw with my sleep.

So I stopped. I got curious. I gave myself space to feel.

And you know what happened? I felt better. Not all at once. But slowly, clearly, solidly... better.

The Holidays Make It Tricky

Let’s be honest, holiday culture is soaked in booze. “Wine down” becomes code for "barely coping." Everything from the office party to cookie decorating seems to come with a cocktail in hand. And if you’re not drinking? People get weird about it.

You’ll hear things like:

“Just one won’t hurt.”
“Oh come on, it’s the holidays!”
“Are you pregnant?”
“You’re no fun anymore.”

(That last one usually comes from people who aren’t very fun sober, FYI.)

So yeah, the pull is real. The sirens are singing. But here’s the thing: the song is a lie. No glass of wine has ever made me more confident. No spiked cider has ever fixed family drama. No buzz has ever made me feel better in the long run.

Here’s What Actually Helps

Bringing a drink I love: Sparkling water with lime, a vinegar mocktail, something fun and fizzy that makes me feel festive without the fallout.
Having a plan: Knowing what I’ll say when someone asks why I’m not drinking. ("Just taking care of myself" is enough.)
Noticing the urge without judging it: Sometimes I still want a drink. That’s not failure. That’s awareness.
Remembering why I quit: Sleep. Sanity. Blood sugar. Peace.

And yeah, sometimes I romanticize it. But the real magic? Is waking up the next day with no regrets, and my nervous system still intact.

You Don’t Have to Drink to Be Fun

You don’t need a cocktail to be the life of the party. You don’t need a buzz to connect with people. You don’t have to drink to celebrate, grieve, cope, or unwind.

You’re allowed to rewrite the story, you’re allowed to say no, you’re allowed to listen to yourself instead of the sirens.

And if you do choose to drink, do it from a place of love, not pressure. Drink because you want to, not because it’s what’s expected.

Anyway...

Odysseus tied himself to the mast to resist the sirens. I unfollowed some boozy influencers, stocked up on mocktail ingredients, and learned to sit in discomfort. Same energy.

The sirens are still out there. But they don’t steer my ship anymore.

And if you’re feeling the pull this holiday season, know this:You’re not alone, you’re not broken and you’re absolutely strong enough to steer yourself home!

Try my Blackberry Smash Mocktail

Ingredients

5–6 fresh blackberries (or try it with blackberry jam!)
1–2 fresh mint leaves
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 tsp maple syrup (or monk fruit for sugar-free)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional glucose-friendly bonus)
Ice
Sparkling water (plain or blackberry flavored)

Instructions

In a shaker or glass, muddle the blackberries, mint, lemon juice, and maple syrup until juicy and blended.
Add the ACV if using, and stir or shake with ice.
Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice.
Top with sparkling water.
Garnish with a sprig of mint and a few extra blackberries and some fancy dried sliced oranges (from amazon)