By the time you read this, the last remnants of your Thanksgiving meal would have been eaten. The craziness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday are just behind us. And now we start to look forward to the remaining holidays. You know, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. And of course, New Year’s. From festive parties to the stress of family get-togethers, to the ever-present question “what do I get for him/her?” The holidays are already an overwhelming time. But they can be especially difficult for those dealing with addiction, or those who may be just “starting out.” The problem with the holidays is that almost every event involves alcohol in some way; it's simply part of the culture. The temptation to drink or to get high can be hard to avoid. For others, the holidays are a particularly lonely time, especially if their past problems with substance use left them estranged from...