Holiday Cookin'

There’s about a month and a half period during the year that we stop caring. We forget how to count calories (or maybe we just lose count); we don’t worry that our afternoon snack that could qualify as a second lunch will ruin our appetite for dinner; and we certainly don’t skip on those tasty, hot beverages that should be a dessert, yet we can’t seem to drink one without a baked good along side…Mmm.

This month and half is now, my friends. Yes, whether we like it or not, the time post-Thanksgiving and pre-New Years is truly a celebration of food. After the feast of Thanksgiving, we are given a taste of the holiday and we just can’t let it go! But do we really need to? It’s the one time of year that the coffee shop has that latte special and the perpetually filled plate of home-baked cookies in the office kitchen. Well you never know, it might stop filling at some point, plus you have to at least try them—I mean, it would just be rude not to!

Before I go on, I want to pause and emphasize that I don’t think this is a bad thing at all. In fact, I think it’s great—we stop worrying, we begin to just appreciate the season, the company, the food. We don’t think about the bathing suit that that extra cookie might just—Oh my gawd!—ruin because you won’t be wearing one anyway for another six months. And, you know, if you do find yourself in a compromising bathing suit situation, it will most likely be in a Jacuzzi at night and no one cares at that point.

This mentality seems to last through the month of December. Who are we kidding if we think we can get through this month without the extra comfort carbs and an abundance of alcohol that makes any drink an adult beverage—that’s why they make Bourbon, right? Once the month closes, we have one last hurrah with the New Year and we enter January, hung-over, probably ashamed about the indulgent month we just had and ready to face the bleak winter with wilted salads and [insert alcohol of choice here] and tonics.

But screw that depressing thought. We don’t have to worry about THAT until next year, when we can all start anew anyway. So we might as well make the most of what we got of this one and enjoy it! With that thought, I encourage you all to be merry and celebrate the one time of year when a little bit extra is perfectly acceptable.

Oh, and don’t feel bad if all the candy in the store seems to be call your name. I am convinced the companies change the foil of the wrapping to be more appealing during the holiday season. Fortunately during this time of year capitalism and marketing are perfect and legitimate scapegoat for anything.

Cheers!