POPPING a bottle of fizz come Christmas morning is not out of the ordinary for many families in the UK.
However, not many of us will be reaching for the plonk come sunrise, unlike mum-of-one Ivana More.
The hospitality worker, 23, from Langham, East Midlands sets her alarm for 4.30am on December 25 so that she can pack in as much punch as possible.
Ivana says that it’s only fair as she regularly sacrifices her own nights out so that she can serve others drinks.
Here she tells Fabulous Digital why this Christmas will be her merriest yet…
Cracking open the Bucks Fizz I looked at my watch.
It’s 4.30am on December 25 and I am just starting my drinking for the day – and I know I’ll be p***** by 9.30am and might miss Christmas dinner.
Some people say it’s sad but I don’t care.
I work all year in the hospitality industry which means I never normally get the chance to drink.
I miss the laughter, jokes, freedom and not having to bother about cleaning up.
After Covid, hospitality staff worked even harder and earned our money even more.
I see everyone else getting smashed and having fun while I’m always sober, having to laugh at their boozy jokes.
Then, at the end of the night, I don’t scurry off home in a taxi – rather I spend two hours cleaning up empty glasses and (if I’m unlucky) sick.
So, for me, Christmas is the one day I can cut loose.
And being drunk by 9am is a treat I won’t apologise for – even if people think it’s silly.
The "Bucks Fizz buzz", as I love to call it, helps me sail through the day, not get involved in arguments and smile when I get presents I can never use.
Someone is always arguing over who ate the last pig in a blanket, who drank all the sherry and presents.
I always stay at my mum Daniella, 45, in Oakham on Christmas Eve.
That means we all celebrate Christmas under one roof,
I wake up at 4am before even the kids get up.
I have to start cooking and it’s the only time I have to sit quietly and enjoy my first glass of Champagne and orange juice in peace.
If Santa didn't drink all the sherry the kids left out I admit I’ll even neck that as well.
I reckon many people might be shocked, but I bet half the country does the same thing.
If Santa didn't drink all the sherry the kids left out I admit I’ll even neck that as well
I love popping on the kettle, making a cup of tea, cooking some bacon and eggs and pouring my Bucks Fizz.
By 6am I will be onto my third glass and feeling buzzed and chilled.
The pile of potatoes to peel and last night’s washing up to do doesn't seem too intimidating, it looks fine thanks to my slightly pickled state.
By 7am the kids will be arguing over gifts and adults start grumbling about being woken up and not being able to cope.
I just smile.
I will watch with pride while my 14-month-old daughter opens her gifts. She’s surrounded by all her relatives and cousins
By 11am all the family are up and the champagne and ‘Christmas punch’ is flowing.
I’ll admit I will be finishing my second bottle of champers and starting my third. Nothing stresses me. If my older relatives offer me a sherry I won’t say no.
At midday with dinner cooking I sneak off for a 45-minute nap… it’s one of the best sleeps I get the entire year.
And when I wake up and instead of enduring a post nap hangover I simply grab a glass of white and knock it back.
By 2pm I have drunk the equivalent of three bottles of champagne and I feel great.
Of course, being drunk so early can sometimes cause a few hiccups.
One Christmas I was convinced I’d turned the oven on only to discover two hours later it was off and we had to wait an extra three hours for turkey.
Being tipsy while pouring and mixing the sauce ended up with cranberry juice and blended cranberries spilled all over my white fluffy top and clean floor.
It made the kitchen look like a Christmas bloodbath.
It’s something I laugh about now.
And come Boxing Day I will be battling a hangover but I usually find a fry up, red bull, vitamin C and ibuprofen fix that.
People who say it’s irresponsible are wrong – it's harmless fun. So anyone who wants to troll me for this should think again.
We always make sure two adults don't drink on Christmas day to do child care, my daughter is happy and cared for.
Next year I am on child care duty.
This year it's one day, a Christmas tradition, and I deserve it.
For more festive news, find out how many of you will be drunk before 1pm on Christmas Day with The Sun Christmas Survey.
And you've been wrapping your Christmas presents all wrong – here's how you should be doing it.
Plus this savvy mum decorated her Christmas tree in just five minutes thanks to cling film trick, but not everyone was a fan.
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