What is it about the holidays?
There are goodies everywhere you go. People are either way cheerful or down in the dumps. Family issues crop up a lot. Loneliness is magnified. Shopping is exhausting.
When I was a kid, I loved the holidays - whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, or nothing at all, do you find this time of year challenging or fun? Or, like me, both!
When I was a kid, I loved the holidays - whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, or nothing at all, do you find this time of year challenging or fun? Or, like me, both!
Mary
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you CAN do." John Wooden
I'm down 120 pounds - thanks to RNY! Working on the next 25. Then I'll tackle more...
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you CAN do." John Wooden
I'm down 120 pounds - thanks to RNY! Working on the next 25. Then I'll tackle more...
Mary:
When I was a kid, I liked Christmas best, even when there was a bit of family drama (which my parents usually shielded me from) and Grandma made us eat lutefisk before we could open presents. These days I think I like Thanksgiving best because its purpose hasn't been compromised by commerce. We gather, enjoy each others' company and generally leave on good terms. The media doesn't help with my growing ambivalence toward Christmas, either, reporting company holiday sales results like they are baseball scores. Don't get me wrong, I love exchanging gifts, but I don't love all the marketing and sales pressure in the weeks ahead of Christmas.....or the crowds all scrambling to meet some invisible expectation of enough. Next Christmas will bring a first Grandchild, so perhaps my perspective will change yet again as we work to spoil him rotten beyond all reason.
As far as food goes, I have had less trouble making good or at least tolerable choices than I had feared. At holiday parties I usually end up eating noticeably less than the most rail thin person there, which irritates a few of them, actually. Family gatherings are harder, but I usually have a bite or two of my favorite, treacherous foods and that is enough....like pumpkin pie or homemade lefse. Otherwise I have meat and vegetables as usual, only I make sure to save room for lutefisk (since I make that myself).
RP
When I was a kid, I liked Christmas best, even when there was a bit of family drama (which my parents usually shielded me from) and Grandma made us eat lutefisk before we could open presents. These days I think I like Thanksgiving best because its purpose hasn't been compromised by commerce. We gather, enjoy each others' company and generally leave on good terms. The media doesn't help with my growing ambivalence toward Christmas, either, reporting company holiday sales results like they are baseball scores. Don't get me wrong, I love exchanging gifts, but I don't love all the marketing and sales pressure in the weeks ahead of Christmas.....or the crowds all scrambling to meet some invisible expectation of enough. Next Christmas will bring a first Grandchild, so perhaps my perspective will change yet again as we work to spoil him rotten beyond all reason.
As far as food goes, I have had less trouble making good or at least tolerable choices than I had feared. At holiday parties I usually end up eating noticeably less than the most rail thin person there, which irritates a few of them, actually. Family gatherings are harder, but I usually have a bite or two of my favorite, treacherous foods and that is enough....like pumpkin pie or homemade lefse. Otherwise I have meat and vegetables as usual, only I make sure to save room for lutefisk (since I make that myself).
RP
My dad grew up in a Scandinavian household (grandpa was Norwegian, grandma Swedish). He used to say "I never tried lutefisk, but I think I stepped in some once." LOL Kinda how I feel about it!
Mary
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you CAN do." John Wooden
I'm down 120 pounds - thanks to RNY! Working on the next 25. Then I'll tackle more...
"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you CAN do." John Wooden
I'm down 120 pounds - thanks to RNY! Working on the next 25. Then I'll tackle more...
Yes, the ups and downs. Yoyo families. Know that you have friends here at OH.
Both challenging and fun. Making smarter choices this year. Take care and take a moment for yourself Mary. Hugs, Kathy
Both challenging and fun. Making smarter choices this year. Take care and take a moment for yourself Mary. Hugs, Kathy
OH Support Group Leader
Come visit us at the bariatric buddy group http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/bariatricbuddy/welcome
Come visit us at the bariatric buddy group http://www.obesityhelp.com/group/bariatricbuddy/welcome
I never really had the Christmas fever as a child because where I'm from (Southern Hemisphere), it is summer at Christmas, people have bbq's and go surfing instead of drinking hot chocolate by a fire, skiing and eating huge Christmas meals. While I admit that a white Christmas is pretty spectacular, I'd give my entire stocking to be back in NZ lapping up some sun with my family.
My kids love it though, and we're keeping it low key...simple food, just our immediate family and Christmas movies.
My kids love it though, and we're keeping it low key...simple food, just our immediate family and Christmas movies.
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