Good excuses for not drinking

[Anonymous]

Next weekend is my birthday and a bunch of us are all going to go out to dinner. The restaurant happens to have a bar, and even though we don't go out and get tanked anymore, people will probably offer to buy me at least a drink or two. I'm newly pregnant, so will be refusing drinks, but we aren't ready to share our news for another few weeks.

What the best, non-obvious excuses for not drinking on your birthday?

[Anonymous]

Antibiotics

[Anonymous]

You got tanked the night before.

[Anonymous]

I mean the easiest excuse (but probably the most obvious) is that you're not feeling well and you plan to take some Benadryl or other cold/allergy medicine once you get home and you really don't want to mix that and alcohol. But then you have to play up how you feel like crap, but you really, really wanted to celebrate with your friends and you actually have to make it an early night.

The other thing you can do is just let your server know that you're not drinking alcohol and can he bring you club soda and cranberry anytime someone orders you a vodka cranberry (but you have to trust the server then).

OR just have your husband/best friend/person who already knows keep you supplied with ginger ale in a cocktail glass all night long, giving no one else the opportunity to buy you drink because your that person is already taking such good care of you.

[Anonymous]

You're taking cold meds or antibiotics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean the easiest excuse (but probably the most obvious) is that you're not feeling well and you plan to take some Benadryl or other cold/allergy medicine once you get home and you really don't want to mix that and alcohol. But then you have to play up how you feel like crap, but you really, really wanted to celebrate with your friends and you actually have to make it an early night.

The other thing you can do is just let your server know that you're not drinking alcohol and can he bring you club soda and cranberry anytime someone orders you a vodka cranberry (but you have to trust the server then).

OR just have your husband/best friend/person who already knows keep you supplied with ginger ale in a cocktail glass all night long, giving no one else the opportunity to buy you drink because your that person is already taking such good care of you.

This was our first thought, but these are all good ideas. Antibiotics was my backup thought. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

We're telling our families this weekend to beat them to the punch. The first time someone offers me a beer and I say no everyone will figure it out.

[Anonymous]

Order yourself a nonalcoholic drink and nurse it/refill it yourself. When someone offers to buy you a drink say "Im working on one but thank you, ill let you know when im ready for another!". If they push it on you, give it to your husband.

[Anonymous]

Or just take the drink and dont drink it.

[Anonymous]

"I'm pregnant"

May as well cut to the chase. That's what they'll think even if you use lame excuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I'm pregnant"

May as well cut to the chase. That's what they'll think even if you use lame excuses.

They can think what they'd like, we are not ready to tell yet for several reasons. If they assume I'm pregnant, that's fine and it will be confirmed in a few weeks when we do share the news.

[Anonymous]

I was barely pregnant for my 30th birthday and we hadn't told anyone. My husband would either order my "drinks" (club soda with lime aka vodka tonic) also when we first got to the bar I told the bartender I was pregnant and it was a secret... so any time someone ordered me a drink, he knew what to do. No one was the wiser.

[Anonymous]

I sympathize OP. I'm a regular drinker and have friends coming to town next weekend, a few dinners planned over the next few weeks, etc. Everyone will know regardless of what I say. Debating just telling them and then having to tell if the worst happens, or lying and knowing they'll know. Ugh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You got tanked the night before.

I think this excuse is less obvious than the anti-biotics/benadryl. Especially as it is your birthday, people will believe that you may have already celebrated. Just say--oh, work friends took me out for happy hour last night and I ended up overdoing it. I still need to hydrate... , how is the house hunting going, Suzy?"

[Anonymous]

t a bit.

Alcohol was one of my sharp aversions, so while I was not opposed to taking sips of the drink for more legitimacy (I wouldn't have had a whole or even half glass during the first trimester, just me) I wasn't even able to fake it with little sips. But, what I'd do is have DH or someone else who knew drink part of a glass of wine, and then just put it in front of me at the restaurant or carry it around without sipping. If you aren't opposed to a sip or two (and alcohol is not one of yoru aversions) you could always take the tiniest of sips to make it look more realistic. If someone asks you if they can refill, you can always say, you know what? I just don't have it in me to drink tonight. Long week, plus i'm getting over a bug! Then you don't really even have to lie outright.