All sorts of magazines, websites, and television shows spew restrictive tips for staying healthy during the holidays: avoid the chocolate, eat veggies before going to holiday parties, eat white meat instead of dark, do jumping jacks while making gravy, bench press your Christmas tree ...
These "healthy" tips have always bothered me. Christmas only comes once a year, and life is too short to not enjoy it and relish in all the goodies that come with the season. Instead of freely enjoying a little chocolate, baking and dark meat, people become wrought with guilt if they savour anything with reckless abandon during the holidays. I have never been one to deprive or restrict myself. I enjoy all foods, whenever I want them, but in reasonable portions.
Jolene's Tips for Staying (Mentally) Healthy over the Holidays
1) Stick to the 4 main holiday food groups and don't worry so much about it:
a) Cookies
b) Cheese
c) Chocolate
d) Gravy
2) Spend as much time as possible with the people that you love.
3) Eat the dark meat if you want. Heck, eat the crispy skin too.
4) Wine is made with grapes, so it is a fruit. Drink up.
5) Relax. You don't have to do it all, be perfect, or have the cleanest house on the block. Relax and have fun, and your guests will too.
In other news ... today I had a very productive day.
I fueled up with some French toast this morning before cleaning the house, and wrapping gifts.
I made cranberry sauce ...
Started to thaw the turkey ...
Baked 4 loaves of bread ...
Set the table for Christmas Eve turkey dinner with my family ...
And made a pecan pie for Christmas day ...
Tomorrow we will be spending the day with my family, and having our Christmas together.
What do you do on Christmas Eve?
Do you have any Christmas Eve traditions?
15 comments:
I'm with you - I don't really believe in depriving myself. I beleive in enjoying all things in moderation. And then exercising to keep the weight gain from getting out of control! ;)
Can't wait to hear how your Christmas Eve dinner turns out! mmm, turkey! :) Christmas Eve is the 'bigger deal' of the 2 day celebration for our family. We have a seafood feast and then open presents. On Christmas Day we'll have brunch and then go to church together. Can't wait to see my family.
Merry Christmas, Jolene!
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Amen, sister. I am SO with you on all that. THose articles bother me too. "Survive the holiday party battle--come armed with these tips and tricks!" Um, am I the only one who wants to just ENJOY the holiday party?! Please. Relax. Drink up. :)
Merry Christmas Jolene!!!!!!!!!!! :)
Our Christmas traditions have changed a bit, but we typically do Christmas Eve with my parents and grandma and cousin. We do dinner and did presents (not anymore) and played games...
christmas am - we do our own thing, open gifts, make breaky... Then my parents come by and this we we are exchanging super small gifts... and hten this year Dave and I are just staying home Christmas day and cooking a dinner and watching Christmas movies!!
I hope you enjoy your day!!!!!!!!!!!! xo
Food Group "C" - Chocolate is in for it this year, if I have anything to say about it. Breakfast on Christmas Morning? I will take a box of Pot Of Golds please... or some Purdy's Chocolates if you have them... :-)
I will be flying tonight, but if I wasn't, tradition would be to have a really nice sit-down dinner with the fam. Last night my Mom outdid herself with a roasted vegetable soup and chestnut loaf. Her first time cooking something "vegan" and she totally hit it out of the park!
I completely agree with you!
I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner. I made that same pecan pie for Thanksgiving and topped it with maple whipped cream that was amazing!
I love this! You just made my day :) You have been so productive - 4 loaves of bread! Insane.
Have a great weekend! :)
wow, looks like a busy day - I love your tips! :)
i freakin' LOVE your tips!
and i dont eat meat. but honestly, the way our ancestors ate meat (the whole animal and not just cherry picking off the white, or same with eggs, eating the whole egg and not just taking the whites...THAT is how i have read the body wants animal proteins...so i think eating dark is actually a good thing, if one eats meat)
i cant believe i am rambling about this...lol
time for bed :)
merry xmas hon!
Jolene, you're amazing <3
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
hooray for your "healthy" tips and your weeks off! Enjoy and I hope you had a lovely lovely day!!! :)I don't have any christmas traditions since my parents are christian but I do love to eat at my friends' houses! :)
I LOVE this. I thought it was going to be actual diet tips and I wasn't all that interested in that but I completely feel this philosophy. My tummy is full of every wonderous food you could imagine right now and I feel not one shred of guilt about it :)
Hope you had a wonderful Christmas Jolene!
Oh my gosh that Pecan Pie looks DELICIOUS!!! I hope you had a great Christmas! Mine was awesome but now I am exhausted!!
See you in the New Year!
Merry Christmas Jolene - love your tips!!!! :) hehe :)
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