December 2023 Newsletter

Greetings of the season and happy holidays to all! As we wind down the year and gear up for the holidays, let’s remember the Twelfth Step by carrying the message to alcoholics and practicing these principles in all our affairs. Let’s look for opportunities to reach out to those who may need an extra hand or ear during the holiday season. Some are experiencing their first Christmas, Hannukah or New Years without a special loved one and others are experiencing their first holidays sober.  Remember what it was like to spend your first Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve without alcohol and reach out, only if very quickly, to let the newcomer know they are not alone and to provide words of encouragement about the joys of sobriety.

Here are eight helpful and practical tips to make staying sober easier, courtesy of Delaware Young People of Alcoholics Anonymous (DEYPAA).

1. Use your phone list— Most A.A. meetings will provide you with a meeting list with numbers, if you get a craving place a call. Keep calling until someone answers.
2. Use your sponsor and support group— Don’t be afraid to lean more heavily on your sponsor or support group for the holidays. Set a day to meet with them weekly to hold yourself accountable.
3. Know where the local A.A. events are held throughout the holiday season— Attend your local holiday A.A. events to center yourself before or after holiday parties.
4. Create an action plan— Protect your sobriety and create a sobriety protection plan. This could be using your own vehicle to get to family holiday parties, planning meetings around your holiday event or bringing a sober buddy to events with you.
5. Don’t be afraid of the A.A. hotline— If you can’t find anyone to answer your call in your time of need, call the A.A. hotline at 302-856-6452. 24 hour support is only a phone call away.
6. Check your motives— Before entering any situation that could be sobriety or serenity threatening check your motives. Ask yourself “Why am I here?” If you find that you can be of service to others at the event, all the more reason to be there, but if attending to show off to family or friends how well you are doing and coming at it from a place of ego and reputation management you may not only further harm your reputation but endanger your sobriety as well.
7. Gratitude List— Quick! Name three things you’re grateful for … reminding ourselves of the joys of life can help us get another moment of sobriety.
8. Bring Your Higher Power into your plan— Before you do anything remember to pray. Sometimes that one second pause to pray is all the reminder we need. God will move mountains, but we must bring the shovel. Next move into action of doing the next right thing. Like STOP, DROP, AND ROLE … PAUSE, PRAY, AND DO THE NEXT RIGHT THING!

To learn even more tips about staying sober during the holidays, go to https://sussexaa.org/wp-content/uploads/12-tips.pdf.

Happy Holidays!

Step, Tradition and Concept 12

The Twelves

Alcoholics Anonymous is built on a foundation of Twelves: 12 Steps, 12 Promises, 12 Traditions, 12 Principles and 12 Concepts for World Service.

12th Step — Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

12th Tradition — Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. Let us always remember that anonymity – not taking credit for our own or others’ recovery – is humility at work.

12th Concept — The Conference shall observe the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion, vote, and, whenever possible, by substantial unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that it never perform acts of government, and that, like the Society it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and action.

Southern Delaware Intergroup Monthly Meeting — Join us on Thursday, December 7 at 6 pm via Zoom. Meeting ID: 987-8810-5001, Passcode: 914711. Our intergroup is a resource for 12-Step work and Alcoholics Anonymous information in Southern Delaware. Please consider volunteering for a service opportunity, which includes most Intergroup committees. For more information about what each Committee does, see our Service Committees page and plan to attend our next intergroup meeting.

Footprints in the Winter Sand
February 2^nd – 4^th

The 2024 Footprints in the Winter Sand will be held February 2-4, 2024, at ASHORE Resort & Beach Club (formerly The Clarion) in Ocean City, MD. There is no on-line registration. Checks must be sent to Footprints along with the registration HERE.

What’s Your Favorite
slogan, phrase or prayer?

We have been asking for submissions for our newsletter (see article below) and our member Cindy S. was kind enough to send in a submission that we are able to feature here! We asked for a favorite slogan, phrase, or prayer.

“The Serenity Prayer. Why?  I remember it. It challenges me and works when I open myself to be truthful and willing.”

Thank you, Cindy!

Want To Be Part of the Newsletter? We would love to hear from you and here are some topic ideas:

• How you worked a specific step.
• A favorite A.A. slogan and how it has helped you.
• How you got your first service position.
• Something your sponsor said that impacted you.

You can submit entries to support@sussexaa.org and subscribing to this Newsletter via e-mail is very easy. Simply email “subscribe” to support@sussexaa.org  and you will receive the monthly email on the 1^st of each month.

This Month’s Intergroup Committee Feature

Literature — This committee has available, at cost, conference-approved literature to A.A. groups and members to provide the A.A. message to as many people as possible. You can review our inventory list here. For more information, send an email to literature@sussexaa.org.