Holidays--Tips and Tricks?

So, the holidays are upon us. Halloween is in a couple of days and then the onslaught of Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc. How do you handle the holidays? Any tips and techniques that you're willing to share?

Thanksgiving dinner for my family is a true smorgasbord. Typically, I have a plan of action of what I am going to eat. Luckily, because of the sleeve, I can only eat a small amount--which is a good thing. Protein first and foremost. I try not to fill up on too many starchy things because they take up room in my small belly and I definitely save room for dessert. Normally after I finish eating, I get up and immediately make myself busy. I get second helpings for those who want it, and I start stacking plates and putting them in the dishwasher. I'll start slicing up dessert and getting the coffee and tea ready. I make myself busy so that I'm not sitting at the table picking! For Christmas, I usually host Christmas dinner and I also have a small get together for friends the day after Christmas. After the meal, I use the same tactic, I stay in hostess mode helping everyone fill up! I look forward to the holidays and try to stay focused on enjoying my family and friends.

I am boycotting Halloween! It's my husband's birthday so we're turning off the lights and going out to dinner and a movie. I don't want to buy even one piece of candy. I have ZERO willpower. Not to mention our neighborhood is nice so people come from all over town, hundreds and hundreds of kids. It's craziness and gets super expensive. Looking forward to the birthday celebration. Sorry kids, Sharon's a scrooge.

Thanksgiving and Christmas will be me in charge, so I can easily make it not centered on junk food.

Halloween has increased in popularity over the years here in NZ. We live in a neighbourhood where there are not many children so it's not such a big deal for us. We do however keep a packet of sweets in the cupboard in case some come knocking. They invariably get eaten by me and my partner if there are any left over so we only buy a small amount.
We don't celebrate thanksgiving, but Christmas is usually a big family day and like Kenson once I am done I just get on with looking after everyone else and starting on the mountain of dishes :-)
It is very easy to mindlessly pick at bits and pieces off the table if they are sat in front of you.

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Originally Posted by sraebaer

I am boycotting Halloween! It's my husband's birthday so we're turning off the lights and going out to dinner and a movie. I don't want to buy even one piece of candy. I have ZERO willpower. Not to mention our neighborhood is nice so people come from all over town, hundreds and hundreds of kids. It's craziness and gets super expensive. Looking forward to the birthday celebration. Sorry kids, Sharon's a scrooge.

Thanksgiving and Christmas will be me in charge, so I can easily make it not centered on junk food.

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The children in my neighborhood have all grown up and are in college. I stopped buying candy about two years ago because I would have so much left. I used to also buy for my students at school. Too much of a temptation for me, so now I don't buy it at all!

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Originally Posted by KiwiGal

Halloween has increased in popularity over the years here in NZ. We live in a neighbourhood where there are not many children so it's not such a big deal for us. We do however keep a packet of sweets in the cupboard in case some come knocking. They invariably get eaten by me and my partner if there are any left over so we only buy a small amount.
We don't celebrate thanksgiving, but Christmas is usually a big family day and like Kenson once I am done I just get on with looking after everyone else and starting on the mountain of dishes :-)
It is very easy to mindlessly pick at bits and pieces off the table if they are sat in front of you.

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It's so easy to start "picking" once you're done eating--especially since everyone is sitting around talking!

kenson, good thread! I actually buy candy that I don't like or sometimes I go to a friend's house and give out their candy. I usually wait till the day after Halloween as I have a "promise to myself" no candy on Halloween, however; the day after doesn't count. Oh, how we can rationalize:)

Thanksgiving we actually spend with out bff's family down the shore and last year although it was sub-freezing; I went for a long walk with a very active couple who do all kinds of activities and we walked about 3 miles really fast! They are also vegan and there's all kind of healthy foods in addition to the regular fare. Since I don't usually eat vegan, I tend to try that type of food and little taste of others. It's been working out perfectly.

I find that I enjoy the company and activities more than the food and it helps that I don't prepare the large meal. I'm Italian and back in the day we had 3 courses, pasta, salads usually antipasto with soup, and then the turkey and trimmings; this might partially explain why I had a weight problem all my life!

Do you think we will always be "sleeve" people, lol? I do lots of cooking over the holidays (and we have company flying in from Spain next week) but I find cooking keeps me from eating -- vicarious pleasure?

Christmas we are going to one of the kids for the first time, and they have 3 ovens - pretty sure my son-in-law and I will share the cooking. He's a really great cook and fun in the kitchen.

Halloween -- we may get a rainout. We live in a great neighborhood, so we normally get loads of kids, but we're sort of having a lack of younger kids this past year. We sit in the driveway with neighbors and have a huge pot of candy for the two houses, and yes, we do wear costumes.

But rain.....

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Originally Posted by jerzeygirl

kenson, good thread! I actually buy candy that I don't like or sometimes I go to a friend's house and give out their candy. I usually wait till the day after Halloween as I have a "promise to myself" no candy on Halloween, however; the day after doesn't count. Oh, how we can rationalize:)

Thanksgiving we actually spend with out bff's family down the shore and last year although it was sub-freezing; I went for a long walk with a very active couple who do all kinds of activities and we walked about 3 miles really fast! They are also vegan and there's all kind of healthy foods in addition to the regular fare. Since I don't usually eat vegan, I tend to try that type of food and little taste of others. It's been working out perfectly.

I find that I enjoy the company and activities more than the food and it helps that I don't prepare the large meal. I'm Italian and back in the day we had 3 courses, pasta, salads usually antipasto with soup, and then the turkey and trimmings; this might partially explain why I had a weight problem all my life!

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jerzy,
I think trying vegan dishes would be fun! I keep saying if meat keeps going up in prices that I will become vegan!

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Originally Posted by AnnieG

Do you think we will always be "sleeve" people, lol? I do lots of cooking over the holidays (and we have company flying in from Spain next week) but I find cooking keeps me from eating -- vicarious pleasure?

Christmas we are going to one of the kids for the first time, and they have 3 ovens - pretty sure my son-in-law and I will share the cooking. He's a really great cook and fun in the kitchen.

Halloween -- we may get a rainout. We live in a great neighborhood, so we normally get loads of kids, but we're sort of having a lack of younger kids this past year. We sit in the driveway with neighbors and have a huge pot of candy for the two houses, and yes, we do wear costumes.

But rain.....

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Annie,
I think wearing costumes and handing out candy would be fun. However, I'm such a candy addict, I would be scared there would be no candy left. I used to buy the candy that I didn't like to hand out for Halloween!

I am trying to think if there is any candy I don't like that wouldn't tempt me. Maybe bubble gum. But I have childlike tastes and basically like everything! My husband used to work for a fancy chocolate company, and that didn't tempt me, bring on the M&Ms!

We sit in the driveway with neighbors and have a huge pot of candy for the two houses, and yes, we do wear costumes.

But rain.....[/QUOTE]

Annie if it doesn't rain we need to see photos please :-)