The team at CanFASD wants to wish our community an enjoyable festive period.
2023 has been an incredible year for us! Highlights including hosting the sold-out Canada FASD Conference in Saskatoon, our biggest FASD month ever, seeing progress on Bill S-253: A National Framework for FASD and much more. We look forward to unwinding after a busy time and recharging ahead of another packed year in 2024.
Choose mocktails over cocktails!
Pressure to drink alcohol socially can be particularly present at this time of year. There is no safe time, amount, or type of alcohol to drink during pregnancy. The safest option is to go alcohol-free if you’re pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or having unprotected sex and at risk for an unplanned pregnancy. This holiday season, choose mocktails over cocktails!
Partner, friends and family members can support those who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy by providing alcohol free alternatives to festive drinks and offering to go alcohol-free as well during the holiday season.
This year we are not running our annual 12 Days of Mocktails campaign. However, there are lots of ideas for alcohol- free drinks in our mocktail archive!
Online learning
We have updated our online learning platform! If you are currently enrolled in a course with CanFASD, you would have received an email with instructions about the switch-over. Our old learning platform will be live until December 31, so you have until the end of the month to continue with your current progress.
If you find yourself with some free time over the holidays, why not do some extra learning? Our online courses are the perfect way to spend a dreary afternoon in winter.
Self-care during the holiday season
We know the holiday season can be difficult for some, our Mental Health Toolkit gives support for both people with lived experience of FASD and people working with those with FASD. Find out more about self-care and how you can practice it in our blogpost from earlier this year.
Often individuals with FASD and their families experience stress and anxiety as they try to navigate the excitement, indulgence, and busy nature of this holiday season. We have provided a list of practical tips on gift giving, gift receiving and attending holiday parties to support you during this time.
If you are a caregiver of someone with FASD, we have some specific resources for you – our Self Care for Caregivers article and our Stress Management Strategies for Caregivers blogpost.
We hope you manage to have a rest and we look forward to collaborating with you in the new year.
CanFASD Art Competition
Our holiday cards this year feature this extraordinary painting by Mikayla Braganca – the winner of our 2023 Art Competition. Take a look at some more festive pieces from artists with FASD on our website.
Happy Holidays
The CanFASD office will be closed between December 25 and January 1. We will respond to any queries you send when we return to work, so please be patient with any delayed responses.
We will see you in 2024!