Haven't taken down your Christmas decorations yet? Don't worry — you're doing it right. Today, January 5th, is the 12th day of Christmas, or Twelfth Night, and many people believe today is when the holiday actually ends. Some people, however, started taking down the lights and decorations immediately after Christmas Day.
Are you doing a Dry January? If you started the year by giving up booze for a month, cheers to you! Between 15% and 35% of drinkers will be swearing off booze for the month. According to research firm Morning Consult, 90% of those are taking a booze break for health benefits, and 73% are doing it to save money. If you are among those participating in Dry January, here are some of the health benefits, according to experts:
- Improved mood
- Better sleep
- Weight loss
- More energy
- Lower cholesterol
- Decreased diabetes risk
- Lower blood pressure
Damp January ... If doing a Dry January is too daunting, maybe try a "Damp January" instead. That’s when you don’t cut out alcohol entirely for the month, but instead, you cut back — like limiting yourself to just one or two drinks a week. The idea of Damp January is to not deprive yourself of having that Friday night glass of wine while watching Netflix, but also to limit your intake and examine your relationship with alcohol.
And then there are those who skip it altogether …
Gen Z might be cooling on the whole “Dry January” vibe … A new global survey shows fewer young drinkers are signing up for month-long sober challenges like Dry January. According to the survey, in the UK, participation dropped from 33% in 2024 to 24% in 2025, and Australia saw an even bigger dip — from 39% to 24%. France, Italy, and Brazil also reported declines, while the U.S. stayed mostly flat. The only country bucking the trend? Mexico, where going alcohol-free for a month actually rose slightly. Overall, Gen Z’s drinking habits are starting to look more like everyone else’s, with 74% saying they’ve had alcohol in the past six months. The takeaway? After years of “sober curious” hype, moderation is still in — but performative dry spells may be losing their sparkle.
