OT: I'm so ready for Christmas! :)

Okay, I"m like a little kid at Christmas.  My hobby as you all know is shopping for food.LOL  Well..shopping for other things follow right behind the food!ha  So since I found a couple of bargains yesterday I'm really hyped now and I want to put up my tree.lol  

It's amazing how the spirit can help your depression or just the way you look at things.  Either that or I'm bipolar.ha  I think I might just break my record on how early I put up my tree.lol  Has anyone here ever put it up before Thanksgiving?   Bah humbug..do we really need Thanksgiving?lol

Think I better start looking at the healthier holiday recipes.  Because I'm really getting the Christmas bug early.   Yesterday I bought a really big bag of cranberries.  This morning I was determined to make something for my picky breakfast eater.  I mixed milk, frozen banana, one packet instant oatmeal, and cranberries and made it into a smoothie for two people.  I just had a taste but it was REALLY good! 

Hmmm, wonder what my husband would say if I had a tree in the living room by the time he got home.

You're too funny!!!!........You need a job! 

My Christmas tree goes up the first weekend of December (have always had a live tree), but last year we bought an artificial one so no reason why it can't go up a lot sooner!  I'm a Christmas nut too.  May just put it up Thanksgiving weekend instead...it's late this year anyways.

"You need a job!"

That's just what a few people in my family says!hehe I knew you were like family to me. :)  If I had one, then I couldn't go do things like go see Changling  here in a few minutes.lol I rarely go to the movies by myself, but I really wanna see this movie!lol   My husbands too good for me.  He's such a good guy.  And he's use to me doing things like putting up the tree in the beginning of November.  I think that's half of the reason why he married me.  He leads such a boring life I surprise him on being sponteneous a lot.  I don't know why he just doesn't think of things himself.  One time I told him I wanted a dog but they didn't have what kind I wanted here.  I told  him if I can't find one I'm flying out of state to get one.  The next day he couldn't find me.lol  Ooops.haha  He didn't think I would do it!  Morgan...one of my shelties, is a Seattle doggie! :)

I'm sooooo with you.  I've got the week before Christmas off and I'll be spending it in the mall shopping my be-hind off.  I can't wait.  I'm addicted to shopping, so I'm seriously looking forward to the holidays.  I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving aswell.  I've decided that I'm going to "cheat" on Thanksgiving and eat carbs for the day.  I'm so excited!!!

Wish we could go shopping together!  That was one of my ex's pet peeves with me.  He HATED me going shopping.  At Christmas time I can open up the stores and be there until they close with no problem.  

Sort of funny about you and Thanskgiving.  I'm wondering if your more excited about getting to eat food or the actual holiday!hehe

I love Christmas, though I'm not the least bit religious.  I enjoy the festive spirit and the season in general.  I'm a Christmas shopping maniac.  I had so many packages delivered to me at work last year, I bought piles of cookies from a special bakery for our mail room and office services.  I do my part to keep the economy going, that's for sure.

I don't know how I'll weather the holiday foods.  It's hard to pass up things you don't see too much of except for around Christmas - good peppermint bark, chocolate covered gingerbread men, etc.  I've always gone bananas buying chocolate during the holidays.  I bought some baking mixes several months ago that I planned to use now - pumpkin whoopie pie mix ,chocolate whoopie pie mix, "monkey bread" mix, peanut butter chocolate chip cookie mix, and oatmeal-chocolate chip-coconut cookie mix.  I'm hoping I can make them, eating a serving, and then pawn the rest off on other folks. 

Does anyone have thoughts on whether it's more reasonable to enjoy yourself and just aim to maintain your weight during the holidays, or is it better to stay the course and not give in too much without also completely depriving yourself?  I'm not sure I can splurge within limits, but I guess I better learn how.

I splurge within limits, with a plan following the holiday to undo any damage. For the past two years the "damage" has been a pound or two, max.


One key is to eat thoughtfully, and savor every single chew.

I love a taste of everything. I no longer make many cookies or breads, though. It makes sense that if I want to live healthy, so should my family. They've gotten used to it. I'm a definite carb-a-holic, so the rule is - stay AWAY. Thankfully, cravings are gone.

I think 99.9% of the battle is between our ears. You have to have a good talk with yourself as the holidays approach. I just met an amazing woman who has worked with eating disorders for 17 years. She has some insightful things to say about getting to "PEACE" about food. The "C" is connection, rather than control. Interesting lady.