Surviving The Holidays/recovering - Tips?

[Nina]

I'd like to know your tips for surviving the holidays.

I'm not very good outside of my carefully chosen routine. I can't afford to go away for 2 weeks. I profoundly hate to shop. I hate to stop working, but I work from home and we have two teenagers. (In short: started new demanding career, passionate about it, but very low income). Also my parents need support.

I'm all for seeing family and friends, even if I'm one of the only ones not drinking. It actually reinforces my convictions about it. (Not that family members or friends have serious drinking problem, but still). there are however some people I don't see anymore, now that I don't drink. Drinking with neighbours used to be a fun Saturday night plan. I stopped seeing the ones with which I don't really have something to talk about. Or the ones who want to convince me to drink... (???)

So how do you do it? Being invited to have a drink and eat pork, bread and salad three nights in a row, for example?