Hope everyone has made it through the first hurdle of the holidays safely. As the festive season gets into full swing, it occurs to me that there is an increased importance of planning your transportation needs to and from holiday parties ahead of time. I know, in my house, nearly every evening of the week and then again on the weekend from now until New Years, it seems there is some holiday function, event or after-work get together to attend. Ok - so it’s not every night - but the social schedule is certainly in full-swing. And though I love the celebration of it all, I also know that when it’s time to leave - I had better know how I’m getting home because by the time the party is over - it’s too late to figure out who is going to drive.
As you get swept up in the evening, talking to friends you haven’t seen in awhile, or catching up with family or co-workers, you may not realize how much you’ve had to drink. That’s not to say that every night is a long, meandering trip down memory lane only to wake up in the morning having wished you hadn’t had that last cocktail. But, why take the chance any night? When you start the evening with a safe ride home - there’s no need to even question your abilities when the party is winding down. A combination of drinking responsibly and getting a safe ride home will ensure everyone has a happy and wonderful holiday. It’s just that easy!
In my neighborhood, we’ve talked about planning a night out with all the neighbors at a local restaurant. But in the spirit of the holidays, we’ve decided if we’re going to do it, we’re going to rent a “fun bus” to take us to the neighboring town and bring us home. That way we know that everyone can enjoy the atmosphere and celebration, without worrying about getting home safely.
Some other ideas I’ve heard of among my other friends - making sure that they have taxi service posted visibly in their homes during holiday parties, and having multiple car service numbers in their cell phones should their trusty backup service be subject to the inevitable holiday backlog. It also doesn’t hurt to have some extra bedding ready to go - just in case your guests decide it’s better just to stay the night.
I know it’s common sense to plan ahead - but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded once in awhile, does it?
Happy holidays!