The Holidays Begin

It is the day after Thanksgiving so I am in the middle of my 1st Holiday since starting my Year of Living Sober (YOLS). Traditionally, getting off work early meant stopping for a beer on the way home (this one i really wanted)and then picking up take out or making easy, fun food before preparing for Thanksgiving. Well, I obviously didn't stop for a beer and we didn't plan for the fun food very well. So I didn't really feel like we started the holiday on Wed. Which brings me to a question that I hope some of you will answer in the comments section below. How do you celebrate holidays and special occasions without special food or special drink? I know there are a variety of substitute beverages for alcohol and substitutes for high fat or high sugar foods. But what if you want a celebration to be independent of food and drink? Food for thought.
On with my journey. Just because I stopped drinking for a year does not mean I have stopped brewing. I brewed a stout 2 weeks ago and Kegged it this morning. (Full disclosure. I tasted 1 ounce. I have not brewed a stout In years. I could not in good conscience serve a beer that I had not tasted. It tasted like stout. Nothing special but at least I know it tastes the way it should) Since I am not drinking the beer it was much easier to pick a style that was simple and mild in flavor compared to the big hop beers that I prefer.
Thanksgiving day without a beer was a new experience. It didn't feel good or bad. Just different. I missed having a special seasonal ale with dinner and an Imperial stout with dessert. But it didn't ruin the meal. Dinner was great and I enjoyed it with my very pregnant wife (who isn't able to drink anyway)

My name is Wally and this is day 83 of my YOLS.