Fill that booze-shaped hole with some light-hearted theatre, courtesy of the Royal Exchange’s carnivalesque musical comedy based on the true story of Yorkshire lass and Football Pools fortune-winner, Viv Nicholson.

You don’t need a drink in your hand to enjoy a gig, especially when the performers bring as much energy as legendary Afrobeat artist Femi Kuti, who’s injecting some Joy into January with an intimate Manchester show.

If you want to avoid being in the vicinity of alcohol altogether, try this brilliant exhibition at FACT, wherein four Latin American artists and collectives take on the relationships between culture, nature and technology.

It’s only fair. You’re saving all that money on booze, so you can afford to push the boat out on food. KAJI is one of our favourite dining destinations of the minute, whose current fire-based dining concept won’t fail to impress.

If all of those festive booze-ups got in the way of you watching Wicked before Christmas, now’s your chance. The smash-hit theatre show is in Manchester until 12 January, and there’s still few free seats.

Hang onto the last remnants of the festive spirit with this Cuban take on Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, with new choreography by Carlos Acosta CBE, and performances by 20 exceptional dancers from his company, Acosta Danza.

Feeling invigorated by your sobriety, or just want to push yourself? Explore our guide to the best adventure activities in the North of England, taking in abseiling, water skiing and everything in between.

The first in a three-part series of exhibitions at the Lowry features Aliyah Hussain, Paloma Proudfoot and Renee So – three inspiring artists who work in ceramics and use the medium as a tool for narrative.

Thrilling and challenging, PUSH Festival is always a highlight of the theatre calendar, celebrating the North West’s creative talents over four weeks and across several stages, screens and spaces at HOME.

Feeling really adventurous? Squeeze that Christmas bulge into a wet suit and explore some of the North’s most beautiful spots to go wild swimming, taking in lakes, rivers and reservoirs across the region.

Prefer adventures of the culinary variety? Lancashire’s Northcote, which has held a Michelin star since 1996, is one of the North’s finest high-end restaurants, and the creativity that goes on in its kitchen is pretty astonishing.

Another standout exhibition you can catch this January is Louise Giovanelli’s new body of large-scale paintings at The Hepworth, which all to contemporary worship in different ways.

Something that definitely doesn’t go hand in hand with alcohol —  throwing axes at large planks of wood with wild abandon. The new year’s as good a time as any for trying something very, very different.

“O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains!”. The old bard had a thing or two to say about alcohol himself…

Think all the fun of childhood, but for adults. Yes, this is a bar, but it’s much more about the many, many arcade games than the booze, and they also do some great alcohol-free cocktails.

When in doubt, a stroll in the park’s always a safe bet. Just don’t go all Withnail.