50 Winter Activities That Don’t Involve Drinking Alcohol

Growing up in the Midwest, I always heard people answer the question “What do you do for fun here,” with “Drink, it’s so cold what else is there to do,” and for a long time that made sense, until it didn’t anymore.

A culture that is generally proud of its excessive drinking is hard to “unsee” if you’ve bought into it. I’m here to tell you there are infinite other things you can do if you live where it’s freezing. Please don’t ever let this be the reason that you drink.

I used to hate Winter growing up in Upper Michigan, as many kids who live where it’s cold do. Now that I’ve grown a bit, I try to appreciate the season and be thankful that I work from home. 😉

Living alcohol-free helps me appreciate nature more in general, even when it’s cold!

Here are 50 Things to do Instead of Drink:

1. go for a walk bundled up

2. journaling or creative writing

3. make a blanket

4. homemade hot chocolate with whip & sprinkles

5. try cold plunging

6. bake bread

7. visit a local museum

8. ice skating

9. have a spa day at home

10. try a new restaurant

11. set up a scavenger hunt

12. sledding

13. movie night with your favorite snacks

14. cross country skiing

15. scrapbooking

16. make a candle at home

17. go somewhere scenic & take pics of nature (or yourself)

18. snowshoeing

19. binge Watch TV shows or YouTube

20. visit a brewery with non-alcoholic beer

21. learn knitting, sewing, crochet, embroidery, etc. 

22. plan summer travel

23. enroll in a free online class, learn a new skill

24. play your favorite music

25. make a “winter” meal at home

26. put together a puzzle

27. DIY home decor

28. window shop online or Pinterest

29. make a winter salad

30. make dinner with friends (alcohol-free or mindful drinking)

31. play a card game, learn a new game

32. read a good book

33. organize something

34. try non-alcoholic cider or sangria

35. read your favorite blog website

36. go thrift shopping

37. bake brownies

38. rest - take a nap or sleep early

39. hot tub

40. visit your local library

41. crossword puzzles

42. paint for fun

43. make soup

44. do something romantic

45. print your favorite photos

46. visit a unique local shop

47. check out an online non-alcoholic bottle shop

48. make your own jewelry

49. bonfire

50. attend a sober-friendly event