Awkard Teetotaling

[Sleeping in EQ]

For those of you who don't drink alcohol:

Have you ever been at a Christmas party or on event where your turning down alcohol came off as rude?

Have you ever known someone who took your not-drinking as snobbery?


For those of you who do drink alcohol:

How do teetotalers come off in these situations? Do they seem "holier than thou?"

If they tell you they don't drink for religious reasons are you weirded out?

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

For those of you who do drink alcohol:

How do teetotalers come off in these situations? Do they seem "holier than thou?"

If they tell you they don't drink for religious reasons are you weirded out?

I assume nothing. Many people who drink may choose not to do so in any given context. It happens all the time. I'm sure you can imagine the reasons. Sometimes people just don't want to get tired; I most often hear women say this. Many people abstain entirely for all kinds of reasons other than religion including dieting and health concerns. It isn't uncommon to be at a cocktail party, not have a single Mormon, Muslim or Southern Baptist or other Evangelical in the room, and see various folks carrying around a glass of water with a slice of citrus.

[FarrahWaters]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

For those of you who don't drink alcohol:

Have you ever been at a Christmas party or on event where your turning down alcohol came off as rude?

Have you ever known someone who took your not-drinking as snobbery?

No to both questions. I have had someone assume I was pregnant, though.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

For those of you who don't drink alcohol:

Have you ever been at a Christmas party or on event where your turning down alcohol came off as rude?

Have you ever known someone who took your not-drinking as snobbery?


For those of you who do drink alcohol:

How do teetotalers come off in these situations? Do they seem "holier than thou?"

If they tell you they don't drink for religious reasons are you weirded out?

This is a real interesting issue.

When I have been in these settings as an individual, people have always been very respectful, and never take my non-drinking as "holier than thou".

But I attend various corporate meetings, trade shows, etc. with people from our branch in utah. If the Mormons are in a group of two or three or more, then there does seem to be some weird glances and awkward feelings.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

For those of you who don't drink alcohol:

Have you ever been at a Christmas party or on event where your turning down alcohol came off as rude?

Have you ever known someone who took your not-drinking as snobbery?


For those of you who do drink alcohol:

How do teetotalers come off in these situations? Do they seem "holier than thou?"

If they tell you they don't drink for religious reasons are you weirded out?

The only time that someone thought it was impolite was when an investigator offered my comp and I some wine when they invited us to dinner while serving in Italy.

[Detroitdad]

When my family and I were in Italy we stayed with a family that owns a vineyard. They really wanted us to have some of their wine. I think it hurt their feelings a little bit, but their niece (who had stayed with us in the US) smoothed it out.

Domestically I have never had this problem, probably because everyone I socialize with knows that I don't drink. They spend a great deal of their time talking about that fact though. It gives them great merriment.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Most all of my colleagues are very cool about this, but there is one woman who always makes a point of trying to buy me a drink. The first time she did it, I declined politely, and thought nothing of it.

Her subsequent attempts have brought rolling eyes from some of my friends.

[il Padrino Ute]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

Most all of my colleagues are very cool about this, but there is one woman who always makes a point of trying to buy me a drink. The first time she did it, I declined politely, and thought nothing of it.

Her subsequent attempts have brought rolling eyes from some of my friends.

Just tell her that you are from a blood lineage of raging alcoholics and all it took was just one drink for all in your family to turn them from productive individuals to staggering drunks hanging out at freeway exits holding a sign that says:

"Will not follow you home and kill you and your family if you give me money for booze."

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

Most all of my colleagues are very cool about this, but there is one woman who always makes a point of trying to buy me a drink. The first time she did it, I declined politely, and thought nothing of it.

Her subsequent attempts have brought rolling eyes from some of my friends.

The drink may not be the point of what she's doing. Your friends may be rolling their eyes for different reasons than you presume. Is she attractive? Married? Has she done this before? Etc.

Sorry if I'm hijacking. This is too good to pass up.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

The drink may not be the point of what she's doing. Your friends may be rolling their eyes for different reasons than you presume. Is she attractive? Married? Has she done this before? Etc.

Sorry if I'm hijacking. This is too good to pass up.

I get where your coming from, but in this case it does seem to be about the drink. She's my age and has a longtime, live in boyfriend. There's a challenging tone in the way she does it.