This is the time of year when many of us reconnect with friends, colleagues, and family. It is a season filled with invitations, shared meals, laughter, and long-standing traditions. After a busy year, these moments of celebration are well earned and deeply valued.
It is also a time when routines loosen a little. Glasses are refilled more easily, conversations run later, and good intentions can sometimes drift into excess without much notice. Most of us have seen — or experienced — how quickly that can happen.
Alcohol, in particular, has a way of quietly changing judgment. It can affect driving, of course, but it can also affect conversations, decisions, and interactions in ways that are not always apparent in the moment. Words are sometimes spoken that would not otherwise be said. Choices are made that seem harmless at the time, but are later regretted. The consequences, once the evening ends, can linger far longer than the celebration itself.
None of this is said to dampen the spirit of the season. Rather, it is a reminder that enjoyment and care are not opposing ideas. Planning a safe ride home, pacing oneself, checking in on others, or simply knowing when to call it a night are small acts — but they matter.
As the year draws to a close, I want to wish everyone a joyful and safe holiday season, filled with connection and goodwill. May it also be a season marked by thoughtfulness — toward ourselves and toward those around us.
Best wishes to you and your families for the holidays, and for a healthy, peaceful, and successful New Year ahead.