Staying Sober Through the Holidays in Dallas-Fort Worth

The holidays in Dallas-Fort Worth have their own rhythm. Thanksgiving means the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium in Arlington and watch parties across the metroplex. December means drive-through light shows, parades, and outdoor markets in often mild weather. The area is spread out, so almost every plan involves a car, and an occasional ice storm can change those plans overnight. For people in recovery in Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, and the suburbs, a local plan makes a difference. If you need more than tips, Greenhouse Treatment Center is in the heart of the DFW metro area.

Why the Holidays Hit Differently in Dallas-Fort Worth

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

• Thanksgiving revolves around the Cowboys. The Dallas Cowboys have played on Thanksgiving Day nearly every year since 1966, and their home, AT&T Stadium, is in Arlington. Game-day gatherings and watch parties often center on food and drinks, so it helps to plan your day around the kickoff. The night before Thanksgiving is also widely regarded as one of the busiest bar nights of the year.
• The big events are outdoors and social. Light shows, parades, and markets are fun, but some have bars or sell seasonal drinks.
• Everything is far apart. Most plans mean driving across the metroplex, and leaving an event can mean a long trip home.
• Ice can change plans. North Texas winters are usually mild, but freezing rain can glaze bridges and overpasses and cancel flights at DFW Airport. A sudden change can disrupt your routine, your meetings, and your travel.

1. Map Your Month Around the DFW Calendar

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. For many people here, that means Thanksgiving Eve, the Cowboys game on Thanksgiving Day, December parties and light-show outings, Christmas Eve and Day, and New Year’s Eve. For each one, ask two questions: will alcohol be central, and can I leave easily?

Bring your own drink, and decide before you go how long you’ll stay. For more ideas, see our 10 tips for staying sober through the holidays and our advice on staying sober at the holiday party.

2. Lean on Your Support Network

The holidays are a good time to add meetings, not drop them. 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 Dallas AA Central Office, which serves AA groups across Dallas and its suburbs, is a good place to start if you’re looking for meetings. When travel, weather, or hosting gets in the way, online meetings can fill the gaps.

If you’ve completed a Greenhouse program, you’re alumni for life. Our alumni program hosts weekly online meetings with different themes and speakers, and AAC Thrive sessions bring alumni together with alumni coordinators from across our facilities. See our alumni activities in Dallas. Families can also take part in family programming on certain weekends each month, some on site and some virtual.

3. Set Boundaries With Hosts and Guests

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

• Watch the game your way. If the family Cowboys party is built around drinking, host your own or suggest your place. Our guide to hosting a sober Thanksgiving has ideas, including a nonalcoholic drink bar.
• Keep your space alcohol-free. Ask family and friends who visit or stay with you to leave alcohol out of your home.
• Choose your topics. Unresolved family issues tend to surface at holiday tables. Decide ahead of time what you’re willing to discuss and what you aren’t.
• 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 Escape Plan for the Metroplex

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. Game-day and light-show traffic can be heavy, so build in extra time and park where you can leave easily.
• 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.
• Watch the forecast. If freezing rain is coming, you have a good reason to head home early, because bridges and overpasses ice first.

5. Take Care of Yourself

Keep your sleep, meals, and daily schedule steady, even when the calendar fills up. Check in with yourself throughout the day: are you hungry, angry, lonely, or tired? Those states can turn a low-stress event into a trigger. When the weather is mild, a walk or bike ride outside is an easy way to clear your head and stay active.

6. Remember Your Why

The holidays can stir up loneliness, grief, and the pressure to celebrate. Take a few minutes to remember why you started your recovery. Write down what you’re grateful for and what you’re working toward, and keep it where you’ll see it.

Alcohol-Free Holiday Ideas Around DFW

There’s plenty to do this season without a drink. Check each event’s details first, because some have bars or sell seasonal drinks:

• Gift of Lights at Texas Motor Speedway. This drive-through light show on the track in Fort Worth lets you enjoy the lights from your car.
• Dallas Zoo Lights. A walk-through display of lights and animal-themed lanterns at the Dallas Zoo.
• Holiday at the Dallas Arboretum. Holiday displays and the “12 Days of Christmas” gazebos.
• Grapevine. The self-described Christmas Capital of Texas hosts a Parade of Lights, and the Gaylord Texan’s ICE! exhibit features ice sculptures.
• Fort Worth Parade of Lights and the Stockyards ice rink. A downtown parade and seasonal ice skating.
• Arlington. Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Over Texas and the Texas Christkindl Market.
• Your own watch party. Invite supportive friends to watch the Cowboys at your place with nonalcoholic drinks and a full menu.

Stay Safe if You’ve Used Opioids

A relapse after time in recovery can be especially dangerous because your tolerance may have dropped. Naloxone nasal spray can reverse an opioid overdose, and it is easy to use with minimal instruction. Learn where to find naloxone in Dallas and across Texas.

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. Greenhouse Treatment Center is just outside Arlington and a short drive from Fort Worth and Dallas. We offer medical detox and residential treatment at our Grand Prairie facility, and outpatient programs in Arlington, including partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient. Same-day admissions are available, and our admissions navigators can be reached 24/7 at . Learn how admissions works, step by step.