Christmas Treats--Yeeks!

Week Four

Christmas Treats—Yeeks!

Thanksgiving is behind me. I’ve indulged, bulged, and now I’m back on track. Until I start my holiday baking, that is. Making treats to give as gifts is a holiday tradition, which once started, is as difficult to get rid of as a yeast infection.

            For more than twenty years I’ve made candy to box up and give as gifts to friends and relatives. Everyone loves my fudge. Unfortunately, so does the cook. Over the years I’ve at least cut down to making only two varieties. But two or twenty, the dilemma is the same; how do I keep from stuffing my wares into my greedy mouth?

            When Terry and I each had our own houses, I shipped it to his garage in sealed containers until I was ready to box it up and pass the candy on. Keeping it in my attached garage now, makes it just too darn accessible.

            And everywhere I go, the goodies are out, even at the library and the bank. A few bites here and there, and I’ve upped my daily calorie allotment to code red. I’ve had to wrack my sugar-drenched brain to come up with a few useful suggestions.

Here goes.

1.     Pass up public goody trays by forming a mental picture of the unsanitary conditions surrounding them. Think about people sneezing on them, children handling each one before deciding, and how long they sit out, exposed to who knows how many dastardly germs and menacing viruses.

2.     No one has the time or the inclination to write out a food plan for every day, but have a mental plan and stick to it. Plan to allow yourself two or three of your homemade treats after supper, and keep that in mind when you walk past the cookie trays on display wherever you go.

3.     If you are making treats, box them for gift giving as quickly as possible. This includes a gift tag with the receiver’s name. I find that if I do this, it keeps my fingers out of them. Then store them with a neighbor!

4.     When baking cookies, make everyone else’s favorites and avoid your own.  If that’s impossible, then allot yourself a few after dinner. I find that allowing myself that small indulgence keeps me from pilfering the gift boxes every time I walk into the garage.

Celebrate the season!