I remember the holiday parties at our house when I was a kid. Everyone was “tying one on” as my Dad would say. The Urban Dictionary indicates that “to tie one on” means “to get drunk or start drinking before the hang over from last night has worn off. Thus having something to “tie onto”. To tie one drinking session to another before the effects/consequences of the last have expired. Hmmm. You know who else likes to tie one on?? MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers). They started a Tying One on for Safety program in 1986, bringing more awareness to the problem of drinking and driving during the holidays. Red ribbons are placed in highly visible areas of vehicles, like the antenna, to remind everyone not to drink and drive. As more drivers place these red ribbons on their vehicles, this heightened attentiveness serves to curb the problem of drunk driving, especially during the holidays. I noticed that the garbage truck had a big red ribbon tied on the front. Same thing? Probably not. He was swerving, afterall.
Here are some helpful tips for safe holiday drinking. Remember, looks can be deceiving. All three of these beverages pack the same punch. Whether you are having one ounce to one-and-a-half ounces of alcohol, like a shot of vodka in a mixed drink, or you’re having a 5 ounce glass of wine, or a 12 ounce beer, they all provide you with the same amount of alcohol. Besides what you’re drinking, there are many other factors to figure in to the equation. Just a few of the other factors to figure in are your height, weight, physical condition, age, whether you are fatigued, whether you have food in your stomach, etc. And alcohol takes time to metabolize out of your system. Drinking coffee won’t speed up that time one bit.
Here’s what you can do to prevent yourself from getting in too deep! Decide ahead of time how much you want to drink and stick to it. And plan ahead regarding your designated driver.
Another reason to watch what you drink – calories can add up. Maybe you can wear that same holiday dress next year! At least if you wear the same outfit year after year, people will remember you! And not just remember you as that girl who “Tied one on” .
Have a safe couple of holidays and we’ll catch up with you next week.
Daun Thompson