December and the festive season is a time for getting together with friends and loved ones to celebrate - in fact lots of people say it is the one month of the year they can drink and not feel guilty. But drinking to excess at Christmas parties and other occasions all adds up, meaning you could end up with more hazy than happy memories.
DRINKAWARE'S CHRISTMAS VIDEO COMPETITION
To get you into the festive spirit and help encourage young adults to eat, drink and be merry responsibly this Christmas, why not enter Drinkaware's Christmas video competition. If you're a budding young director, simply create a short film which shows that if you are drinking, drink responsibly to have a good time. The 'Why let good times go bad?' campaign competition is open to UK residents aged 18 years and over. To enter, upload a video that emphasises a Drinkaware campaign tip, such as pacing with water and missing a round, to encourage other young adults to keep the good times good by not drinking too much. The winning entry will receive £1,500 worth of Jessops vouchers and two runners up will receive £250 worth of Jessops vouchers. The winners will also have their film featured as part of the charity's Christmas campaign which challenges young adults' attitudes and behaviour to alcohol. Visit the website to get involved
TIPS FOR HAVING A GREAT CHRISTMAS WITHOUT THE EXTENDED HANGOVER
It's easier than you might think to avoid turning Christmas into an extended hangover. With eight simple tips from Drinkaware you can manage your drinking to ensure you don't miss a minute of the holidays.
1.Use the Drinkaware Good Times app - Get help avoiding having too much to drink, losing your friends, getting into a fight or ending up without a ride home
2.Make soft drinks part of your Christmas celebrations - Drink a glass of water before your first alcoholic drink. People often guzzle the first drink because they're thirsty
3.Eating isn't cheating - Fill up on a festive meal or Christmas snacks before your first drink - it slows the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream
4.Miss a round, not the whole night - Don't be afraid to turn down a drink. Buy yourself a soft drink when it's your round in order to save on units and cash
5.Take cash on its own; when it's gone, head home - Don't be tempted to pull out your credit card as this will encourage you to drink more than you need and spend more than you can afford
6.Downsize your drinks - If you're a beer drinker, make the units go further by drinking halves instead of pints
7.Resist the top up temptation - Only top up your glass when it's empty. This way it's easier to keep track of how many you've had
8.Avoid the 'hair of the dog' -Treat a hangover with more alcohol and you'll feel far worse in the long run. Instead, have a healthy snack to raise blood sugar levels and drink lots of water to rehydrate and get rid of your headache
So, have a Merry Christmas, and make sure you have reason to celebrate this Christmas and New Year by not letting your 'good times go bad'. Join us on Facebook and Twitter for more tips and information.
Also on HuffPost UK Lifestyle - Twitter users share their top hangover cures:
