I guess I'm emgreen's kind of alkie, arachnophobia.kid. A drink or two and sooner or later life's just one long drink again.
Decades ago, when I was trying occasionally to quit, I'd drink only when I went home to visit my parents. Then I'd be sober for months. I remember that probably I could handle a drink or two when I went out to dinner with friends, etc. I didn't make a year before I brought a bottle home.
My grandfather was an alcoholic and somehow managed to have a shot of Kentucky bourbon every year on his birthday. To my knowledge he never had another drink until his next birthday. But he was the exception.
If you are an alcoholic and have achieved sobriety, you're fortunate. From experience I'd say you're mapping out a path back to alcoholic drinking but trying to make it sound reasonable. If you can remain sober now (having gotten away with drinking over the holidays), you'll demonstrate more willpower and common sense than most of the recovering alcoholics I know. Good luck ... here's to our sobriety, arachnophobia.kid and emgreen!!
Roadie