Christmas is a time of excess, and not just when it comes to food. With the festive mood now seemingly kicking in before December even arrives, it's a busy social month for almost everyone. From the Christmas party to the infamous 12 Pubs of Christmas crawl, it's hard not to get drawn into the celebratory atmosphere.

But what about the non-drinkers? How do they view the inebriated merriment that takes over for almost the whole month? We have the bar people and bouncers who have to cope with the increased work. There's the Nightlink and taxi drivers, tasked with getting people home safely. It's hard to ignore the doctors urging people to drink in moderation. And we can't forget the teetotallers - the people who for cultural, religious, financial or other personal reasons simply do not participate in the festive drinking.

Frances Fitzgibbon spoke to people who fall into all these categories, and got some fascinating insights into the Christmas social scene from some very different perspectives. From bus driver Tom Byrne to Newstalk's own non-drinker Oisin Langan, these interviewees all offer unique takes on a 'night on the town' as 'the sober one'. 

You can listen back to the full podcast via the player above.