Skip to content
We're already one week into Sober October! At Boisson, it’s one of our favorite months as it's such a fun time to appreciate the vast and ever-expanding world of nonalcoholic options. Whether you're already well underway with going sober for the whole month (or every month!) or if you are warming up to the idea of trying it out for a week or two (it's never too little or too late in our books), here’s some background and guidelines to help you on the popular Sober October challenge.
How Did Sober October Begin?
The concept of Sober October is not an American invention. The first to recognize the month was the Australian non-profit Life Education when they had a fundraiser called Ocsober in 2010. The United Kingdom did something similar when people held a fundraiser for Macmillan Cancer Support in 2017. In other words, Sober October is a global phenomenon.
Usually, there’s some kind of charitable contribution component when going sober for October. If you do end up cheating, such as by taking some drinks at a wedding or going out on Halloween, you’ll have to pay up. Think of the concept almost like a swear jar but with cash for drinking alcohol rather than cursing, with the money going toward your favorite charity.
While you certainly can choose to benefit any nonprofit, Macmillan Cancer Support remains the most recognized charity for observing Sober October. You can sign up to challenge yourself to do the full 31 days or you can sign up for 21 or just 14 days. However, you certainly aren’t required to make a donation to have your own booze-free month.
Sober October Rules
If you want to, you can simply use the month as an opportunity to give up alcohol. This can help you reassess how much you drink and, most importantly, why. Are you using alcohol to cope with negative emotions? Are you using it as a social activity? Are you doing it alone? How much are you drinking? These are some of the things to think about over the month.
Going through October sober is also a great way to see how you feel physically. Alcohol use can create sleep problems, decrease your ability to concentrate, and damage your liver in the long run. If you notice improvements in some of these areas, you may end up wanting to abstain from alcohol on a more regular basis or even permanently.
Tips for Sober October Success
For many, alcohol is about more than just something to drink. It’s an activity. This can make the Sober October challenge even more difficult.
Think of substitutes for drinking based on when or why you typically drink. For example, if you drink a lot in the evenings to wind down, pick up some books you may want to start reading or do some journaling. Finding a substitute for drinking as a social activity will be easier if you get your friends involved in Sober October, too!
If you’re someone who’s used to consuming alcohol on a regular basis, it’s so important to have drinks that do a little more for you than water and juice at the ready when you’re trying to get through October sober. We recommend stocking up on alcohol-free versions of your favorite spirits.
At Boisson, we have an alcohol-removed version of just about every type of beverage on the market. So whether you’re usually a rosé kind of gal or you want some non-alcoholic beer at the ready, we’ve got you covered! We’ll power you through all 31 days of going sober for October!
Order the Ultimate Sober October Kit from Boisson!
Everything you need to explore Sober October! This kit features beer, wine, functional beverages, an apéritif, as well as what you'll need to create a specialty cocktail with an alcohol-free spirit, specialty ingredient, and premium barware. Includes a guide and a recipe to keep you inspired along the way.
