Is alcohol going out of fashion?

Plenty of alcohol in the house but I doubt if I drink a bottle of wine a year..... For the past 6 years I've been supporting my SIL who's married to a violent alcoholic and I have to say it's completely turned me off drink.

Judging by the amount of bottles taken to the recycling this morning, no! I drink far less than my offspring and their partners. I do worry about their incredible capacity for alcohol consumption but the more I say the more they just nod their heads and say 'yes Mum, we know' and carry on willy nilly. [worried]

I've never been a drinker and have given up the cigarettes 5yrs ago and I've been ill ever since !!
So now I have a tipple now and again and my drink is Rum & coke only about once a week but I look forward to it. I do think we drank more in the seventies and eighties people could afford it then, all three of my children are not big drinkers

I still live up to my name

We're a family that like a drink, or two or three! I have noticed that my youngest DS (who is 13 years younger than his next sibling) drinks less that the rest of his generation when they were his age and quite a few of his friends hardly drink at all.

I like a G&T and whisky and love wine. I'm really keen on cooking and like matching food and wine, it's one of life's joys. We entertain quite a lot, my little great niece calls ours the 'party house' and we have 2 beer fridges and a wine cooler so we're always ready.

I like to make sure that there are always interesting soft drinks in though as I hate sweet drinks and feel at a loss as what to drink if I'm driving so like to have something to offer designated drivers.

It's not going out of fashion in this house or in my whole family!

We had a three day break at a Warner Leisure place a year ago for DH's 70th birthday. We noticed that couples on tables either side of us were writing their names and room numbers on their bottles of wine (having poured a glass each) and handing them back to the waiter. We gathered the intention was to make their wine last for the two nights.

When the waiter asked me if I'd like a label I didn't have time to reply before DH said, 'Label? Just bring another bottle!'

If alcohol impacted on my life I would think seriously about giving it up or certainly cutting down.
I am a regular drinker,not a heavy drinker. 3 times a week,Wed and weekends,we have a G&T and a bottle of wine between us. When H first got his diagnosis he was prescribed Aricept. I asked the CPN about alcohol and she advised cutting down which he did, but she and I agreed it wasn't fair to take his pleasures away, after all he was never going to get better.
He is on Memantine now which does allow alcohol and his deterioration is slow but gathering pace. I enjoy the relaxation and lowering of my stress levels that a drink brings me.

We have various drinks of an alcoholic nature in the house, but seldom drink. The husband will occasionally have a pint of real ale if we're out walking/cycling and go in some place that serves it but we usually always have a soft drink.

DD and SIL take soft drinks too when they're here, or we're all out together.

I do partake of the demon drink when out with friends who obviously lead me astray!!!

I gave up alcohol about ten years ago when I realized I was really drinking too much and it was impacting on my life. Feel much better without it, but don't worry about others drinking. It's just a personal choice for me, but I do sometimes find people really want me to "go on, just have one!"

So many people on Warfarin these days (including me)
I used to enjoy a sherry when I was cooking the evening meal, but once I developed atrial fibrillation I had to give it up and immediately lost loads of weight, which hasn't come back on in over 5 years, so there are good points to not being able to drink!

I had breast cancer three years ago which was a big wake up call concerning my health. These days I try not to drink too much and actually feel better for it! I sleep better for a start and I've lost a little weight into the bargain. However, I love a decent G&T and also a glass of good wine. Additionally a real ale now and again goes down well.

DH has the occasional glass of wine with his meal, but can't drink beer anymore without upset tummy the next day. My last alcohol was prior to Christmas lunch and it lasted the whole meal. Never have any before I drive, and quite honestly if we're out prefer the food part! Just not bothered about alcohol and much prefer a non-fizzy fruit juice. The worst party I went to was recently when there was only a lethal punch, I was driving so I ended up with water.

We have sun, but I fancy not for long - there are dark clouds looming ?.
I used to enjoy a drink, but find these days I can't drink more than a small glass of wine, which I will have two or three times a week, and I hardly ever drink spirits now. I finished off a lovely bottle of red we'd had for Sunday lunch, which took my consumption to about a glass and a half in all, and paid for it with a broken night of horrible dreams and felt lousy the next day. DH bought me a bottle of Oban malt whisky at Christmas and so far I have done little more than sniff the cork! I think it's an age thing. We are out for dinner tommorrow but I am driving, so tonic water only.

I've never been a big drinker of alcohol. I do sometimes think, maybe I could have a drink this evening, but then i forget about it, which is slightly disappointing.

I recently discovered small cans of Pimms and lemonade. Very nice but expensive.

Looked it up on good old google. Once opened, consume. There are varying lengths of time for different spirits but all deteriorate through evaporation and oxidation.

Synonymous, you might as well pour the 20 year old stuff down the drain. I think that once the airtight seal is broken, the alcohol gradually evaporates so after such a long time, the drinks will have deteriorated and be undrinkable if your son actually tried them.

I may drink a Fentiman's ginger beer when I'm out but don't like most soft drinks.
And when I say I mean a glass or two, not a bottle or two

Annesixty, my father drank 4 pints of beer every night of his adult life and he is 98. It's only totally immoderate drinking that causes early death. Daddy doesn't drink quite as much or quite as often now, but he is still in full charge of his marbles and is in excellent health. He did give up smoking when he was 60 though! What would life be without the odd glass of fizz?

We don't drink much ourselves,and our DC don't drink at all.At a family meal it may be just ourselves having wine, and they are all having fizzy apple or grape juice.

I enjoy a glass or twoas well, but find now that if I drink alcohol after about 6pm it keeps me awake at night - takes longer now for my body to cope with it.
And I don't drink at all during the day, so that's just a short time late pm.
Sounds as if Alea's experience is connected with the drink-driving laws as others have said.

Right, so how come none of you mention the rotten effects it has once you get older - is it (just) me??? I am currently spending a few months in France with all the alcohol temptations that involves and do I imbibe??? Do I 'eck as like. The fact is, one glass I can just about manage (very slowly) but anymore than that and I go bright red in the face and, within about half an hour, slowly drift off to sleep. This can be very embarrassing at dinner parties (at least for my husband, I am happily snoring away in the chair) so now I start with a very small glass of wine (more like a sociable sip), make it last ages then drink about 3 pints of water (and do the driving, hubby is well chuffed). My days of several glasses of those luscious, deep red wines are well and truly gone - lemonade anyone?

There have been a few messages on TV of late. The message about middle class drinking was met with outrage . It's only a glass or two a night they say and it's expensive stuff. The honest truth is that alcohol is as bad for us as sugar or cigarettes. It should be used sparingly or not at all but no-one wants to hear that.

There were 9 of us out for lunch on Sunday and only 2 had a glass of wine. Even those who weren't driving had soft drinks or water. Dds tend to drink wine at home at the weekend, but ds/dil don't drink at all now. I think the new drink/drive limit in Scotland has had definite impact on drinking when out.

i still drink when i can but, having to pick my guy up from work 5 evenings out of 7, i can't risk drinking and driving. although i must admit that i have had a couple of glasses of wine and driven in the past - still would if i was out socially in the evening.

jalima - i've got sunshine - i live in dorset and the sun's been shining brightly all morning.