Does Damp January actually work? What is it?
January goals are fueled by remorse and hope to cut back on Christmas excesses. However, many find Dry January overly restrictive. “Damp January” is Dry January’s kinder relative.
Everybody has. On New Years Day, you regret your night of drinking. You’re starting to regret all the Christmas drinking, swearing never to chase eggnog with Amaro Montenegro. A month without alcohol seems easy and joyful.
Your closest friend’s birthday arrives abruptly. Uncle’s wedding. Even weekly after-work cocktails. Everyone has booze, so you grab a glass out of dread of missing out. You soon relapse and drink as normal.
Research shows that “all or nothing” alcohol intake is unsustainable. Sunnyside, a mindful drinking app, found that 35% of Dry January participants last year drank in the first week. Slipping makes it tougher to keep going.
Dry January is challenging and might lead to drinking problems.
Booze may be demonized during Dry January. However, moralizing alcohol intensifies the connection, making it difficult to be “good” after the month. Even those who go the full month without drinking sometimes binge in February to make up for it.
Damp January—what is it and how can it help?
Moderation is key. Damp January participants drink less but still have a few drinks. It’s more about assessing your relationship with alcohol than sobriety. Most importantly, you can’t fail. Success is conscious drinking.
Damp January’s meaning depends on your drinking habits. After all, “moderate drinking” for males is up to 14 drinks a week and for women, seven.
Damp Jan offers non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks to moderate drinkers. Some drink just on weekends, nights out, or special events. Just know your boundaries, regardless of frequency or amount.
DampJanuary has 3 million TikTok views and is sweeping the internet. It goes beyond social media. 5% of 1,844 UK Vivino users plan to follow Dry January this year, while 27% are considering Damp January.
Alcohol-free no longer means dull. Ellie Webb founded Caleño. Caleño alcohol-free spirits are “unapologetically robust, lively and exuberant” and aim to “add delight to not drinking”. Light & Zesty, a non-alcoholic tropical gin, and Dark & Spicy are available (a non-alcoholic tropical rum).
Webb tells db that most Caleño clients are drinkers who want to cut back or decrease their alcohol intake. People prefer incremental modifications versus full elimination. Customers are increasingly mixing no/low and full-strength beverages.
In their 2023 trends study, Bacardi says consumers are “choosing to have alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks at the same occasion, without any social baggage”. The brand expects this will lead to no- and low-alcohol experimentation.
Damp January participants are turning to Caleño to enjoy alcohol’s taste and enjoyment. Webb claims social interaction increased 84% in the two weeks after Christmas. “Our internet orders alone increased 214% from last year.”
Could a Damp lifestyle be the answer to January woes and seasonal sales?
Moderation can improve your health and relationship with alcohol, scientists say. Your 31-day contemplation might become a habit as Damp Jan is simpler to keep than Dry Jan. lifestyle change.
Drinking moderately and reflecting on your behaviors is a good practice regardless of the label. Try mocktails or low-ABV beers on your night out.
