Festive celebrations look different for everyone - whilst some may find the Christmas dinner the highlight of December 25, others may find getting a little tipsy non-negotiable, and will want to drink until they fall asleep (preferably after they've tucked into their turkey). Many people will just be happy to be around their nearest and dearest and will cherish the time together.
One woman took to Reddit 's 'Am I the a**hole' forum to explain, however, that she was hosting Christmas for her family - but she'd decided to put a ban on alcohol for everybody as she lives her life alcohol-free for personal reasons.
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Getty Images)She wrote: "My husband's family likes to drink. Every holiday includes multiple bottles of wine/cocktails. I hate drinking I have never drunk as my father was an alcoholic I think it’s childish if you can’t have fun without drinking.
"This year I’m hosting Christmas for a change I decided since it’s at my house no alcohol allowed - we are all getting older and it’s time to grow up.
"My husband's sister called to ask what she could bring. She saw a recipe for a Christmas martini that she wanted to bring. I told her about my no-alcohol rule. She didn’t say much but must have told the rest of the family. Some of them started texting me asking me if I was serious and saying that it is lame. But I’m not budging.
"Now it turns out my husband's sister is hosting an alternate gathering that almost everyone is choosing to go to instead. It’s so disrespectful all because they would have to spend one day sober.
"My husband told me he talked to his sister and we are invited to her gathering, and he said we should just go and stop causing issues but I won’t it’s so rude.
"Now my husband is mad because I’m making him stay home and spend Christmas with me, but it was my turn to host and I chose to have no alcohol - they could have dealt with it for one year."
Many people thought the original poster was being unreasonable and could've chosen not to drink themselves, but didn't need to inflict their personal preferences on everybody else.
One wrote: "Everyone understands if you do not want to drink, everyone can sympathise, and possibly empathise, with the trauma you experienced and the choices you’ve made for your life as a result, but you can’t inflict your ideals on everyone around you.
"Taking the 'your house your rules' approach to hosting the holiday is certainly YOUR prerogative, but you can’t be surprised or upset when others want to celebrate differently elsewhere and make plans to do so. Sorry, soft you're the a**hole."
Another stated that it was the way she framed it that was the issue, and if she were more open and honest about the reasons why she wanted a sober Christmas, and less aggressive, people may have still felt inclined to head to hers. They commented: "If someone presented a dry Xmas by saying they have trauma due to a parent's alcohol use, I’ll still go to their house.
"If someone tells me there’s no wine with dinner because we all need to grow up, f*** that sanctimonious butthole, I’ll spend Xmas elsewhere."
Someone else fumed: "As long as they aren't getting sloppy and doing crazy stuff I don't see why it would matter to you so much. Stop trying to ruin everyone's fun. Doesn't mean you have to drink too. But also, your husband isn't allowed to go to his sister's party because of your arbitrary rule? That's insane. Let him go have fun with his family."
One Redditor did sympathise with her, but said it wasn't a revelation to her, writing: "I'll be honest, being sober when others aren't drinking sometimes isn't the best of times, but this is something that they've known about for a long time, as far as I can tell. It's not new.
"She knew about it when she married him, I'm sure. I can't believe that NOW she's decided it's an issue and, hey, you all need to grow up."