Dear Etiquetteer:
Sometimes I want to cut back on my alcohol intake or, in the case of Dry January, not drink any alcohol at all. Personally I find I’m able to stick to these resolutions at a party if I bring my own non-alcoholic drink. Yes, a good host will always have non-alcoholic beverages on hand. But if I bring my own I find that I am actually able to stick with my plan. Do you have any thoughts on this?
Dear Drying:
Dry January — abstaining from all alcohol for all January after Presumed Winter Holiday Excess — has been getting a lot of press in recent years. Many people have found it a valuable challenge, but a challenge nonetheless. Rather than go Cold Turkey, others opt to reduce their intake and call it Damp January. Moderation is usually Perfectly Proper; this should be encouraged.
The trick to BYOB(everage) is just the same as it is for a special diet: discretion. Showing up with a Big Gulp or a Camelbak when everyone else is drinking from glasses is going to call attention to yourself. If you’re bringing your own stash of soda (or what have you), leave it in the kitchen and drink it from the host’s glasses. Etiquetteer is fond of the example of trailblazing vegetarian Gloria Swanson, who would bring her own sandwich to a dinner party and slip it to the butler on arrival so it could be served to her when everyone else got their meat. She kept to her diet, but didn’t put a spotlight on it.
Etiquetteer wishes you a discreet and successful Dry January.