A grumpy, menopausal woman’s guide to a non-alcoholic New Year’s Eve
Question: How do you have a fun New Year’s celebration when you don’t or can’t drink? And in our case, here in Quebec, when New Year’s is cancelled?*
Short answer: turn off the TV/streaming service, sit in a chair in a dark room, maybe with your favourite book for company, and sulk. Keep a glass of water next to you. Not to drink but to throw on anyone who dares to come near you while you feel sorry for yourself. Happy friggin’ New Year. My wish: May 2022 PLEASE see the end of CoVid! Bah. Humbug.
OR
Search out the best dealcoholized sparkling wine, mix and mingle with your significant other, cat, dog or other pet and any stray children who were able to make it back from university or current living situation because they somehow miraculously managed to avoid CoVid.
Why no alcohol? There are lots of good reasons, but if you're a menopausal woman suffering from night sweats and hot flashes, alcohol is a common trigger. And, the more you drink, the worse your night sweats or hot flashes will be.
How do I know? While there are lots of articles based on scientific studies, I've experienced it first-hand. And the after-effects of sweating all night long and getting no sleep aren't pretty. In fact, they're down right exhausting. I realized the short-term gratification was not worth the long-term misery. Even if I miss my glass of wine.
While my old stand-by is cranberry juice and soda, for New Year’s I thought a change of pace would be to try out some dealcoholized champagnes.
If they’re anything like the non-alcoholic wines I’ve tried, I’ll be underwhelmed, to say the least. However, I have hope for finding a decent dealcoholized bubbly. After reading an article in the New York Times, carbonation may be dealcoholized wine’s saving grace. It can add some of the missing layers of complexity back (chilling also helps). The article also points out that finding a decent dealcoholized red is next to impossible – (so stop trying).
I am trying Win, and if my delivery arrives, St. Regis and Gruvi as well. The good news is, I can try them for lunch – or breakfast! – if I want.
The Pros to a dry New Year’s Eve:
- You get to watch all the drunk people make fools of themselves
- No alcohol-induced regrets
- No night sweats
- Wake up feeling great! (no headaches or slow start the next day)
The Cons to a dry New Year’s Eve:
- You get to watch all the drunk people around you make fools of themselves instead of being one of the crowd.
While our lives should definitely not revolve around alcohol there are certain events that are tied to alcohol and New Year’s Eve is one of them. While substitutes aren't the real thing, they can save your sleep and make you feel better in the long-run. So put it in a champagne glass and enjoy the evening!
If you have a favourite mocktail or dealcoholized drink you like please share in the comments below.
Let’s ring out this old year and welcome in 2022!
Information Resources:
Here are some great articles on non-alcoholic wines (and what to buy).
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/20/dining/drinks/nonalcoholic-sparkling-roses.html
https://www.hisurely.com/a/blog/non-alcoholic-champagne
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/11/dining/drinks/non-alcoholic-wine.html
Purchasing Resources:
https://well.ca/categories/non-alcoholic-beverages_5449.html
*As of December 31 2021, bars, restaurants, gyms, are closed (again) and curfew has been established as of 10pm in Quebec.