I have my grandma’s sewing kit box, and I’ve only opened it twice for that same reason… it smells like her perfume. I’m sorry you’re sad. It’s hard when the holidays don’t have those loved ones who’re gone. Sending you love and a hug 
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Put your recovery first no matter what happens with him. #3 is the best-case scenario. If it makes you want to keep trying to drink in moderation, then # 2 is your best option.
#1 won’t bring you happiness.
There is no perfect formula or suggestion to follow in regard to dating sober. A common suggestion is to not date for a year, only focus on yourself.
I got sober in 2002. I followed the no dating for a year suggestion. After I started dating again, I started seeing someone who had been sober for over a year. We hit it off. I fell in love. I ignored the red flags because in my mind I had followed all the suggestions and it felt perfect.
We got married and had kids. It was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life. She was not the “one” as I imagined her to be. She was the nightmare that became my reality. After we divorced starting to date again is where trying to drink like a gentleman became attractive to me. I tried to and failed miserably. It was the beginning of an eight-year relapse. It wasn’t worth it.
Make recovery more important than anything else. Because it is.
When I began dating again it felt as though everyone drank. But finding and dating someone sober is possible. Its no guarantee for happiness either.
Be true to yourself no matter what. Dont compromise yourself. Its easy to lose yourself, and hard to find your way back. It was way harder than I ever imagined it could be.
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Sending you love and a big hug 
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Grateful for the Tao and our fellowship.
Grateful for a warm house and a loving true partner and best friend who doesn’t use.
Grateful for peace and to have ‘the CHAOS’ on hold for a while now, sobriety helps big here!!
Grateful for a quiet Christmas and these earbuds I received from Hunny 
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Tonight I’m grateful for my first sober Christmas Eve as an adult. This time last year I was drunk and an emotional wreck. I couldn’t sleep without sleeping pills. I woke up on Christmas miserable, depressed, and hungover. I was 24 and thought I’m not sure my life is worth living anymore.
Tonight we are all curled up in blankets, even Rue, watching a movie. I feel like crying I’m so happy.
Tonight I do not feel like I am missing out by not drinking. I am grateful that I will remember all of today. I’m grateful that my family and Ian are safe and healthy. I’m grateful I’m planning to sneak in a meditation before bed, instead of sneaking a bottle of wine into my room. I’m grateful that I’m alive and doing my best. Love you guys x
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I am grateful for Patience. Especially grateful for the patience that has been shown to me in my lifetime and will be shown going forward. Sometimes I need a lot of it and am very grateful for those who are nice enough to be generous with me with their patience. I try to be patient with others. Sometimes, perhaps oftentimes, I fall short here. I am grateful I recognize that and will make a conscious effort to be aware that others need lots of patience too!
I am grateful that @Callie99 is not feeling alone this Friday night, Christmas Eve. Happy for you, Callie, so glad that your sobriety is maturing as it is!! I am grateful that you have made those steps forward to not be the way you were a year ago! Big hugs. What a gift!!
Grateful for all of you.
Love, Joy, Peace, Patience…
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Good evening family.
I am grateful to have spent my 2nd Sober Xmas eve with my family. To be tucked n bed now with my kiddo watching “The Miracle on 34th st”.
I am grateful to be present in my life today.
I found a receipt in a pocket today from Dec 11th 2019 at 9:48 am. It was for a 15 of beer and a 2 tall boys. I looked at the calendar today and that was a Wednesday…on Sundays I would buy my weeks “allowance” of alcohol. I would start it Monday morning and I would have it drank by Tuesday night. From there I would try to nurse my addict with cases of beer and bottles of wine. The two tall boys were for the 30 min drive home, good fucking morning to me.
I am so grateful I am not chained to substances anymore. I am grateful that a simple receipt can bring back some very vivid memories and create a tightening in my chest.
I am grateful for the fear I have of my addict, I am terrified to lose my footing. I have faith that I can stay clean so I think some healthy fear is appropriate.
I am grateful that my spirit feels bright and light. So grateful to be here with you all.
Merry Christmas.
I see you posting Brian.
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I’m grateful to God thank you for lovingly guiding me through another day and helping me stay clean and sober. I’m grateful for my recovery and all of its challenges and blessings. I’m grateful for ALL my family, friends, TS and the gratidudes. I’m grateful to have the next nine days off of work. I’m grateful to be in the spare bed at my parents place, it has taken alot of effort to be allowed back into their lives, let alone spending the night. I’m grateful that I have the tools to help deal with the emotions of the holidays. I’m grateful that even though I’m alone and lonely that it is ok, I don’t think emotions (as much as they can hurt or suck sometimes) actually ever killed anyone, that requires action. I’m grateful that my family tries to understand it is hard coming to these events, first of all sober, second of all, single and childless. I’m grateful that I am facing my anger now as best I can rather than drinking or drugging, mind you maybe this isn’t the thread for it but I am not repeating it on the halt thread. I’m grateful for muisc, meditation, humor and laughter. I’m grateful for snow on the ground for Christmas. Frack… I need to change something or maybe I just need sleep, I don’t know, I do now that I don’t want to go back to being that angry depressed guy again wtf Sorry friends. I am grateful to type that out and cry a little, it might help.
I’m grateful it is Christmas. I’m grateful that I am not a fall down drunk tonight as I used to attend a regular Christmas eve party that at times was pretty epic but I also had to make some ammends from some of them and more to make. I’m grateful to go try and do yesterdays meditation since I got started so late tonight.
God bless you all. 
&
p.s. Don’t forget to smile and breathe, it feels good. Ya you!!
p.p.s. sorry my gratitude list unravells at times into a bit of a resentment list, thanks for listening though
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I’m grateful to put my head down on my pillow sober tonight. That’s all I got today - it’s enough.
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I’m deeply grateful tonight for this thread and all of your heartfelt, supportive, honest replies to my earlier post today. I may have referred to you all as “avatars”, but I take it back - you’re way more. (Gravatars? Better?)
@Callie99 your post (last week?) about your date made me teary. Thank you for showing me it can be done.
@JasonFisher two replies from you. Honest and chilling. Both bookmarked. Today’s printed and tucked into my journal. To make my recovery more important than anything else. To be true to myself. To not compromise what should not be compromised. Words I need to live by. I’m grateful for you for them.
I’ll need to keep my finger on the pulse of this new relationship - when it’s wise to show up with vulnerability, and if/when it’s time to leave.
Today didn’t start with gratitude. It doesn’t feel much like christmas eve because they get further and further away from what they used to be. Tonight is much better. I’ve never wanted to admit that I feel the L in HALT. I am lonely for a sense of home that isn’t there anymore. But maybe there’s some kind of grace in just acknowledging it, as I did on the path with the dog girl this morning (she chasing deer). It turned my attention to all that is - maybe not as I would design it, but still, it’s there. I cooked some yummy food for my road trip tomorrow. Had well-chosen tunes on all day. Got some packages ready. Was surrounded in love and support and texts and calls from dear ones and pals - be they avatars or not. 
Going to bed now grateful and sober. G’night all.
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This morning I’m grateful I wake up sober, well rested, surrounded by cats hearing my husband brew coffee. I’m grateful the new house is so big that you don’t trip over each other all the time
Grateful my mum joined us yesterday for the christmas meal and enjoyed the house, the view and the cats. Grateful the cats feel (maybe a little too???) comfortable and capture everything in here for play and mischief 
Grateful for the chill and silent morning, beautiful colours as it’s dawning. Grateful I will hopefully post our christmas tree today. We are still not finished decorating 
Grateful for TS and hopeful I can catch up with all the posts, I love to read them 
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I’m grateful to start Christmas Day without a hangover!
I’m grateful to start Christmas Day without the anxiety of family expectations.
I’m grateful to be in one of my favorite places for a few days to enjoy rest and recreation and recovery.
I’m grateful to have good food to enjoy today.
I’m grateful for a loving husband who gets me.
I’m grateful for the lovely weather.
I’m grateful to have this community of support.
Peace!
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I’m grateful for my sobriety. I’m grateful that I have the means to provide a good Christmas for my family, I certainly didn’t have that growing up. I’m grateful that i grew up the way i did because it makes me a much better parent/partner. I’m grateful that we will get to see all of our kids today.
@M-be-free49 I’m grateful to see you putting the thought you do into how that relationship may affect you. I vote #3 and #2 if three doesn’t work. #1 isn’t a feasible option.
Merry Christmas all.
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I’m grateful for all of you. Merry Christamas. God bless you all. &
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Merry Christmas y’all
I’m grateful for my second sober Christmas gratitude list.
I’m grateful I don’t use Christmas as a hall pass to start having mimosas before coffee in the morning.
I grateful I don’t use the whole Holiday season to get lit up all day long for the month of December.
I’m grateful we had a nice dinner last night with my daughter and SIL.
I’m grateful my daughter canceled going to the brunch I planned today because she couldn’t sleep last night. And is not better yet. The part I’m grateful for is that I know my daughter doesn’t have to worry about canceling and letting us down. Her health is more important.
I’m grateful she said she’ll be well by the 2nd to go out for my 2 year celebration.
I’m grateful she has my sober date in her phone. It actually brought tears to my eyes. I feel like no one IRL really cares about my sober date. You know. The Ol “you weren’t that bad.” And then they wonder how bad was I 
. I wasn’t bad. I was a really good drinker. I could drink most under the table. I’m grateful for God and my guardian angel that let me survive 45 years of being a drunken mess. You know the “ functioning alcoholic.”
I’m grateful that’s all in my past now.
I’m grateful we watched Christmas Vacation on Christmas Eve. That’s about the only Christmas tradition we really do these days.
I’m grateful for the rain.
I’m grateful the rain stopped.
I’m grateful there’s more rain to come.
I’m grateful for the great support I get here on TS and especially this gratitude thread. This thread means so much to me as do you all.
Holy Shit. I’m just grateful I broke the chains of alcohol and I’m fucking free! Thank you Jesus 
May those who live in darkness and despair come to know Jesus’ light, and may his peace reign in our world forever. We make our prayer through Jesus, who is the Lord of Light and the Prince of Peace. Amen.”
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I’m grateful to wake up sober. I fell asleep early and woke up early. Fisherman’s schedule.
I’m alone this Christmas, yet I don’t feel lonely. I feel all one.
I’d love to be able to visit my boys today, I’ll talk to them on the phone later and that feels good enough for now. I haven’t told them about the boat yet. Today will be fun to tell them about it.
I hope they come up and spend the summer.
I’m grateful to not feel pain this holiday season like I have most holidays.
I’m grateful I don’t feel the need to numb out by drinking excessively like I did for many years. Too many.
It feels more like a weekend getting a couple of days off. Even though I’m not hating on Christmas this year, I’m grateful it’s almost over.
Maybe If I had a strong family bond growing up, I’d appreciate it more. Why does society need a holiday to try and act like it should all year?
I’m grateful that I’ve slept and woken up a few times and the Keta is still mine. It isn’t a dream. I really did it! Still no buyers remorse. I am grateful.
I’m grateful I had zero desire to stock up on enough booze to nearly drink myself to death this year for the holidays.
I’m grateful for zero desire to drink today.
A drink feels far away this stormy, Xmas morning.
Merry Xmas!
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I’m grateful that it’s been a pretty quiet and laidback morning. No hangovers, and I’m especially grateful for being up early, being able to eat a special banana pancake breakfast and just for being aware of everything and everyone. I usually drink myself into a stupor on Christmas Eve, and be so hungover that I’m in a daze, just going through the motions. Why did I wait so long to get sober? Actually I know the reasons. I still struggle with them. But not today! I actually feel joy. I’m grateful to be here, to be healthy, to be with family and friends… I’m just really happy.
My heart is full for @Rockstar24777 and @Runningfree, and anyone else who’s missing their loved ones this holiday. I’m sending so much love to y’all.
Merry Christmas! Happy Yule! (Am I late on that one? Well, I wish it for you anyway. ) I hope you all realize some joy today, even if it’s reflecting on good memories you’ve had. Much love to y’all 
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Today I’m scraping up as much gratitude from the far corners as I can. I’m grateful to be feeling “okay” physically, that my husband always tries to cheer me up with silliness and bad jokes (even if I grumble about it), that we exchanged a few gifts in our stockings but didn’t feel any gift buying pressure for the second (sober) Christmas in a row. I think when I was drinking all through the holidays I used to stress myself out needlessly about whatever expectations I was putting on myself and others. That Lupe loved her stocking stuffers, including this squeaky snowman and she’s running around the house with it and playing fetch with herself. I’m grateful for all the texts from friends and family yesterday and today, even when I end up feeling sad, I’m grateful for them. I’m grateful I decided to scrounge up a spread of goodies to munch on today and wait till tomorrow to cook a meal.
Grateful for my amigos here. 
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Oooh, she does love it, 
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