We’d be hard pressed to put it any more simply. The term, Anglo-Saxon as it is, may suffer from a lack of clarity in the language of Molière and lead to misunderstandings. “January in the dry”? “A dry month of January?” False weather forecasts gather on the horizon and the editor’s obvious bad faith clearly reflects, in a general way, feelings on the continent… After the lockdowns, the curfews, the crypto-prohibitions, the restrictions over Christmas and the New Year, not many French people are keen to adhere to a constraint that, while it certainly has its merits, is somewhat inopportune given the current dearth of social interaction.
We will also all agree nonetheless that the only worthwhile watchword for any time or situation is always: “drink responsibly and in moderation”.
https://www.liberation.fr/france/2021/01/03/dry-january-en-france-emoi-sans-alcool_1810242