The holiday season can pose unique challenges for those recovering from a substance use disorder. Below are some helpful tips that will help recovery home operators, staff, and residents overcome the loneliness, stress, and temptation that can increase this time of year.

Take Care of Yourself

First things first: How are you doing? Feeling exhausted? Discouraged? What are your own triggers and responses? Remember: Self-care’s not just for clients. Meeting your own needs is what makes you fully available to others. You have the right to rest and recharge like anyone else.

Remember Who Brought You Here

You’ll be urging others to contact family, friends and supporters, but take a moment to do the same. The reassuring voices of those whose shoulders you stand on can soothe, center, and re-inspire you to stay the course and remain true to your mission.

Be In The Moment

And feel what you feel. There’s no shame in acknowledging how hard it is. Pretending otherwise can actually make things worse. Urging people (including yourself) to feel what they don’t—”the joy of the holidays,” for instance—can cause people to hide their feelings and retreat into themselves. Listening, rather than cheerleading, is often best.

Plan Ahead

At times like these, it’s all hands on deck. If you’re a recovery home operator, plan for the holidays now by consulting closely with all your staff, clients, and supporters. Even if they have nothing to say, you’ve opened the door for conversation. Talking with them transparently and from the heart prepares everyone to work together and support one another.

Focus On the Basics

Nutrition, exercise, and rest. The most basic elements of wellbeing are essential no matter the season, but especially when stressors and temptations rise as they often do during the winter holidays.

Maintain Healthy Routines

Minimize stress by eating, exercising, and sleeping at regular times. Good hygiene and a morning relaxation technique or meditation can also help set the stage for a day that’s less stressful and more productive.

Have Fun!

Laughter and joy are essential. Instead of waiting for it, go get it by finding out what your friends, peers, and colleagues want to do and set time aside for it each day. Joy and laughter are involuntary and can’t be summoned on command, but there’s still a lot we can do to set the stage and give it a nudge.

Think Outside The Box

There’s always a way. When it comes to having fun or celebrating the holidays, don’t be shy about asking residents for new ideas. And the more the merrier. Those you ask will feel more included and involved and the creativity of their ideas may surprise you!

Don’t Give Up

As the old saying goes, “This too shall pass.” Stay true to your mission and be assured that good results will accrue over time. When the darkness recedes, you and those around you will benefit from a knowledge base and skill set made larger by the challenge.

Talk Together

It may not be the “real thing,” but Zoom, Skype, Teams, Jitsi Meet, and Google Meet nevertheless allow us to talk with and see each other even when weather and other conditions keep us inside. Scheduling may be needed to make sure it happens and you may also want to connect to a larger TV screen so people are easier to see.

Eat Together

Though miles apart, virtual companions can share a meal online, either by cooking the same recipe or cooking different dishes that are then delivered to each other for a virtual “potluck.”

Play Together

Popular online apps like “Jackbox” offer fun trivia games and other options that can be played between families and residents from different recovery homes, for example, a men’s house versus a women’s house.

Tell Stories Together

Each person has five minutes to tell, or read, a short story for dramatic or comedic effect, followed by an open discussion. Optional: Each resident draws a name from a hat, then tells a story about meeting or interacting with that person in a way that built trust and understanding.

Sing Together

Those willing can take turns singing or performing a favorite song—either with actual instruments or karaoke backup.

Stream A Live Concert Together

Many local and nationally known musicians have shows now that can be streamed to your house for the holidays. Lyrics sheets can be distributed to sing along.

Laugh Together

Laughter’s contagious, even when there’s no joke. Thanks to the Laughter Yoga Movement launched by Laughter Guru Dr. Madan Kataria, there are now laughter clubs in 108 different countries. Get more info at laughteryoga.org.

Create Together

Housemates can work together to create hand-made Christmas Cards, Thank You Notes, and masks. They can also have fun together baking cookies with creative shapes and fanciful icings.

Journal Together

Assembled residents can spend a preset time (a half hour?) writing down whatever they’ve been thinking, feeling, needing, or missing. If comfortable doing so, they can then read their journal for others to respond to and discuss.

Call Together

Residents can set up an in-house “Call Center” and spend an hour or two calling family members, friends, former residents, and anyone else who could benefit from a friendly chat.

Watch Together

Charles Shultz knew what being an outsider felt like. His Peanuts Cartoon Strip was adapted into 45 animated specials. Ranked number one is 1965’s A Charlie Brown Christmas followed the next year by It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Other fun choices: How the Grinch Stole Christmas (both the 1966 original and the 2000 Jim Carrey remake) and Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol.

Be Silly Together

You can also try making up games no one’s ever heard of. For example, assemble your group and ask each person to perform a follow-the-leader impromptu exercise: pushups, running in place, musical chairs, calisthenics, sit-ups, a slow-motion running competition, or whatever comes to mind.

Share a Meal Around a Fire

An outdoor patio heater or fire pit together with throw blankets can make winter not just tolerable but sublime.

Walk, Hike, Or Run

Fund-raising pledges can even be solicited while creating good pr for your program. “Trudging,” for example, is a routine team-building activity at all the Recovery Kentucky centers originally launched by Fletcher Group Founder Ernie Fletcher when he served as governor.

Ride Bikes

See if local bike shops can donate to the cause. Or ask a local bike enthusiast to help locate used bike parts and teach residents how to assemble them.

Go Ice Skating

Do it outdoors on a local pond or indoors on an ice rink that hopefully will waive fees or offer a discount.

Build A Snowman

Is there any better way to be a kid again?

Walk A Dog Or Ride A Horse

Ask your local animal shelter if residents can walk their dogs for a day. Or see if a local stable will let residents saddle up for an afternoon. Offer to repay the favor by hauling hay or cleaning stables.

Go Snow Tubing

A little hill and a bit of snow is all you need. Inner tubes work great as do the tops of plastic garbage cans.

Rake Leaves or Shovel Snow

Elderly neighbors will never forget the kindness. Newspapers, TV, and radio also love this kind of story.

View Christmas Lights                                                                   

Do your tour together in a car or walk to a designated light display sponsored by your local botanical garden or corporate campus. In some locations, you can even tune in on the radio for a guided tour.

Go Christmas Caroling

The wonder and delight of hearing Christmas carols sung outside your house is still as magical as ever. Carrying a sign that identifies your facility or program can generate great publicity and—who knows—perhaps a donation at a later date.

Revel In A Bonfire

Fire is magical and can be used to signify the discarding of old habits and the phoenix-like birth of new meaning and purpose. Be careful, though, to burn only wood. Inhaling smoke from trash, particularly plastic and chemical products, can be harmful.

Mix and Match

Combine activities to make a full day of it. For example, a trudge can begin at your facility, traverse through town to promote awareness of your group, and end with a fire pit or bonfire at a local park or open lot where carols can be sung, thermoses of hot chocolate shared, and marshmallows roasted. Does it get any better than this?