How to practice 'mindful drinking' this festive season

We all want the benefits that come with drinking less: better skin, more energy, weight loss and reduced likelihood of making an idiot of yourself at the office Christmas party.

But, in my experience, the biggest obstacle to cutting down is other people. They think you’re not ‘letting go’ properly, or — worse — you’re going to judge them.

So I have perfected the art of sly sobriety. It’s all about preparation. Have a limit in mind and stick to it. Getting involved in buying rounds is a one-way ticket to drunktown, so buy your own first drink.

There are so many chic options now, being alcohol-free no longer means sadly sipping a tepid watered-down orange juice. Try Ceder’s ‘alt-gin’ with a splash of Fever-Tree. The more drunk that others become, the easier it will be to hide that you’re not drinking (and make a swift exit while the night is still fun).

Finally, don’t drone on about how great you feel since you started drinking less, or advising others to cut down too. Nobody wants to hear it, particularly at this time of year. You are, however, allowed to be quietly smug the next morning.

‘Mindful Drinking’ (Trapeze, £12.99)