Stealth drinking: How to stay alcohol-free this Christmas, without anyone knowing!

Its sad but true - Any attempt to ‘not’ drink at the office Christmas party is usually met with a chorus of booos, rubber-arm-twisting and bore offs. This social pressure is enough to derail the best laid alcohol-free plans. For this reason, you might want to try something different and go stealth. 

Maybe your boss expects you to partake and making an alcohol-free stand might, as terrible as it is, harm your career.

Perhaps you’re recently pregnant and not ready to share that news with your friends and co-workers. 

Or maybe you’ve been thinking about it lately, and you don’t like the impact alcohol is having on your life. Perhaps you don’t like its effects on your health, waistline, and wallet. You want to be fitter, faster, better at your job, a better parent and partner. But your social world is awash with booze and trying to take a break over Christmas will cause you untold grief. 

Well, worry no more. We are experts in everything alcohol-free having helped thousands of people, just like you, transform their relationship with the booze. 

So if you want to stay alcohol-free this Christmas and don’t want anyone to know check out the stealth drinking tips below:

1. Plan in Advance

The key to Stealth Drinking lies in preparation. Opt for an establishment where you have a good rapport with the manager or bartender. You will need them onside.

Let the manager know, regardless of your order, you are to be given a non-alcoholic version. Also, make sure they are aware that secrecy is of the utmost importance. 

If you can’t phone ahead or don’t know where you’ll be going, do this as soon as you arrive. Find a bartender with a good head on their shoulders, pull them aside, and explain the gig. 

Make sure they know how to prepare your favourites without alcohol. 

You may need to offer them a few quid in exchange for their cooperation. Trust me - it’s worth it. 

2. Visualize Success

Equally important is your mental preparation. Visualise success. Your behaviour in that first hour, when everyone is still sober, is critical. You must ensure others think you’re actually drinking. Rehearse how you’re going to behave and respond if questioned. 

Think about your normal habits on a night out and how to recreate those behaviours without alcohol. For example, if you’re usually the one getting dragged out of the bar at closing time, you are going to arouse suspicion if you’re yawning at 8.30 pm. So pump yourself up and bring your social A-Game. If you have to fake it until you make it. The plan here is to make it to out of the first-few-drinks danger zone into the alcohol-free safe zone. 

3. Welcome to the Safe Zone

You’ll need to keep up the ruse until you enter the “Safe Zone” - that period of time where your colleagues have drunk enough that they aren’t paying attention to your behaviour anymore. This will vary based on how much and how quickly they drink, but once you make it, you can breathe a sigh of relief and relax a little. 

You’ll need to think about any obstacles you might encounter from the time you arrive until you enter the Safe Zone. For example, what are you going to do if someone buys a round? We suggest taking a small sip and then excusing yourself to go socialize or go to the bathroom. Find a plant along the way that needs watering or a toilet where you can dispose of the beverage, and no one will be the wiser!

4. Have your stealth drinks ready

Think about what you are going to drink. It needs to be something that’s easy to fake and close enough to your normal drink to not arouse suspicion. Here are a few of our favourite suggestions:

• The Stealth Shandy: A non-alcoholic beer (most bars probably have a few gathering dust on a shelf somewhere) topped with a bit of lemonade. Sweet, easy to drink, and alcohol-free.
• G&T without the G: This is a good choice if you don’t have a chance to prep the bartender. Look the bartender in the eye, give him a wink and order a tonic with a slice.
• Naked Shampoo: This is our code-name for a faux champagne. Every bar usually has an Appletizer or something similar and bubbly. Ask for that when your mates are drinking champagne.
• Blanks: Almost every type of shot can be replicated with an alternative from the bar. This is where it’s essential to have the bartender on your team. If anything, just tell everyone you are drinking vodka to avoid mixing. Makes you look like a pro and is easy to fake with plain water. Win big and stay hydrated! 

5. Add Some Motivation

The reasons to avoid drinking are plentiful - studies have shown it to have an array of adverse effects on your physical and mental health. We all know this, but sometimes we still need some extra motivation. 

Why not use a non-drinking buddy to keep you on your A-Game. Agree to pay them a certain amount of money if you slip up and have a drink. 

Or you could agree to donate a certain amount to charity if you are successful. Makes it a lot easier to stick to the plan if you know you are helping others!

6. Rope in a Side-Kick

Just like every Bond movie has a co-star, you need to bring in a sidekick. Make sure they hold you accountable, run interference on any doubters and maybe take one for the team by downing any shots bought for you. Tough job, I know, but someone has to do it. 

7. Bond. James Bond

Think of yourself as an alcohol-free Bond. With a little planning, a little stealth, a whole lot of charm, and voila! Maintain rapport with your mates, your boss, keep a little extra cash in your wallet, and avoid any Christmas party morning after mortification!

Call to action

I have created a stealth drinking cheat sheet to guarantee alcohol-free success. 

Get the cheat sheet here

Get the book - ‘The 28-day alcohol-free challenge’

Our book - ‘The 28-day alcohol-free challenge.’ is the perfect accompaniment to any alcohol-free adventure. It’s like a pocket guide to your best self as it takes you on a day by day journey. Showing you how to smash your alcohol-free challenge and love life the process. Each day tells what you need to know when you need to know it. The book in now available at all major bookstores and online by clicking here.

Sign up to a 28, 90 or 365-day alcohol-free challenge

Ok, we’re biased, but the best way to make your alcohol-free adventure a roaring success is to sign up to one of our challenges at oneyearnobeer.com. We have worked with the best minds in the land to create daily videos, emails, accountability, community and much more to help you take on this challenge and win. In a recent survey, 87% of our members decided to carry on with their alcohol-free adventure after 90 days. A whopping 96% said they had transformed their relationship with alcohol. So if you want the best shot at your alcohol-free title, sign up to a challenge today by clicking here.

Similar posts from Andy that you might enjoy:

8 reasons why quitting alcohol is good for business and life

What I discovered after using standing desk for 1 year

Here is a 1-minute story that all business professionals should read at least once a year

What created the greatest productivity boost: quitting alcohol or quitting my smartphone?

Could a break from alcohol unlock your productivity?

Train with Andy

Andy is also one of the world’s leading behavioural change & performance coaches. He specialises in working 1-2-1 with CEOs, business professionals, athletes, entrepreneurs, actors and influencers to transform their relationship with alcohol and in doing so powerup their health, careers and day to day lives.

 Andy’s background in professional sport and running a busy oil brokerage in London has created a unique set of skills and experience that he applies to helping others in similar situations. His love of learning and a masters degree in positive psychology and coaching psychology add a scientific approach to his coaching style.

Andy is also a master practitioner of NLP, a mindfulness-based awareness coach, a much sought-after speaker, author and podcaster.

If you want to train with Andy or contact him, you can email at [email protected]