Sober Gift Guide

The holidays can be a challenging time of year for people in recovery: boozy parties, lots of social events, and stressful family dynamics. It may also be your first sober holiday and you don’t know how to navigate it without relapse. Last, what do you get a loved one for Christmas if they’re sober? Fear not, we’ve got you covered. 

Sober Gift Ideas

It’s a common misconception that people who don’t drink are boring, and that we don’t know how to have fun without alcohol. In fact the opposite is true. Many folks in recovery learn through sobriety how to embrace life and enjoy themselves. We have all of this extra time and consciousness that many of us fill our days with exciting adventures, new ways to recreate, and have fun. The holidays are no different! We love to celebrate. 

Here are some of the ways you can give a gift of joy to your sober friends, loved ones, or yourself!

Sober Memoirs

People in recovery love sober memoirs, especially if they are edgy and teach us something new about recovery.  Some of our favorite books include: 

• Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol (2014) by Ann Dowsett Johnston 
• We Are the Luckiest (2020) by Laura McKowen (Bonus: patients visiting our detox centers will see a copy of this book on our shelves, courtesy of Laura’s publishers).
• Quit Like a Woman (2019) by Holly Whitaker
• Love Yourself Sober (2020) by Mandy Manners and Kate Baily.
• Strung Out: One Last Hit and Other Lies That Nearly Killed Me (2020) by Erin Khar

For more book ideas, you might enjoy our blog Top Ten Addiction Recovery Books. 

Sober Causes

Why not donate to a good cause this year? Peter’s Place RVA is a sober living home in Virginia. Recently featured in the media, Peter’s Place is a recovery support housing organization that helps to house people of color who identify as LGBTQIA. As a non-profit, their mission is to provide compassionate and accessible housing, resources, and trauma-informed care to LGBTQIA+ individuals seeking individualized recovery support. They also provide scholarships and discounts to residents. To donate to this worthy cause, visit their website: Peter’s Place RVA.

Sober Drinks & Mocktails

People in recovery drink more than tea, water, and coffee! In fact, there are many sober drinks companies out there. Two of our favorites include:

• Get Gruvi. Choose produce the most delicious craft brewed and alcohol free drinks from Dry Secco (AF Prosecco), Bubbly Rose (AF Rose), and IPA – Colorado’s #1 selling NA Beer (AF) – to Pale Ale. We’re happy to announce that Gruvi have provided our readers with an exclusive discount code. Use code “SOBERGIFT” to get 10% off purchases through the end of December 2020.
• Clean Cause. This company produces delicious sparkling energy drinks with Yerba Mate. As well as producing a healthy alternative to energy drinks, they donate a portion of profits to help people find sober living

Personalized Journal

The first-ever Guided Day Book and planner was created for individuals in recovery. One Daybook includes 3 months of pages to track daily, weekly, and monthly progress. It also includes beautiful, full-color inspirational dividers between months and is designed specifically to be a digestible amount of time to chart progress and recovery.

We hope these gift ideas have given you a head start on this year’s holiday shopping. Whether you’re just starting out on your recovery journey or you’ve been in recovery for years, we know the holidays can be difficult to navigate at times. Check out our blog for more resources and tips for this time of year.

Laura Herrmann, MA

Laura is the Chief Outreach and Marketing Officer at Gallus Medical Detox, she has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare marketing field in digital, social, product marketing, strategy and sales leadership. Her passion for those struggling and recovering from substance use disorder and mental health as well as advocacy for patient empowerment has driven her career and continues to be the motivation to work within the best treatment options to help those struggling. With a Master’s Degree from Tufts School of Medicine and Emerson College in Health Communication, Laura has continued to find excitement and challenge in her chosen field. She is also the Board President, BarZero and Board Member of the Colorado Professional Liaison Association.