GAITHERSBURG, Md. — George Griffin will tell you this really is the most wonderful time of the year — packed with holiday celebrations with family and friends. But as Montgomery County’s Director of Liquor Control, he urges drivers to plan ahead, be responsible, and stay safe.

He delivers that message from right inside one of the county’s own liquor stores. With the sound of the cash register in the background, Griffin talked about the balance that’s struck between reveling in the holiday spirit — while drinking responsibly.

“On one level, it might be ironic,” Griffin says, referring to the message being sent and the fact that the county depends on liquor sales for as much as $30 million in revenues each year.

“It is a legal substance, but it’s a controlled substance for a reason,” he adds.

At the kickoff of the campaign to make sure that people plan ahead before heading out to celebrate where alcohol is being served, Montgomery County Police Lt. David McBain said too often, a group’s designated driver may have a drink. Or two. He says buzzed driving is drunk driving and just one drink can impair a driver’s ability to handle a vehicle safely.

“If you’re gonna be the designated driver, you’ve gotta be the designated driver,” McBain says. “It’s all or none.”

Griffin and county officials say there are a number of ways to make sure everyone gets home safely: from having that designated driver, to services like Uber and a service called “Be My DD.”

The county has partnered with the “Be My Designated Driver” program. Be My DD works with Brown-Forman, manufacturers of products including Jack Daniels and Southern Comfort.

Information on the Be My DD program, its app and how it works can be found here.