Christmas Eating: Under Control!

“’Tis the Season” we hear and inside many of us cringe. Too busy, too much food, spending too much, what to give the person who has everything. Oh and did I say over-indulgence runs rampant? Over-extended, over-stressed, and then feeling guilty for not enjoying the season of Peace and Joy. Does that sound familiar? Now, be honest!

And lest you think I am a Scrooge, advocating cancelling Christmas, please read on. I’d like to suggest, we can enjoy it more fully if we simplify, pace ourselves, and scale back in several areas.

And especially eating. This blog will deal with that. It seems that every social event specializes in providing large amounts of rich food, and of course we feel obligated to try it all. It gets to the point where we don’t enjoy it any more, as the feeling of being perpetually full steals the joy of the good flavor. Not to mention the guilt we feel when our pants fit more snugly, and we rue the last 12 desserts we ate.

What strategies work to help us practice self control? Food is certainly meant to be enjoyed, and eating is one of the greatest pleasures afforded humankind! But in our land of plenty, we forget that there are other pleasures too.

Hedonism focuses on self and doesn’t take into account the focus on others, and the satisfaction that comes from saying “no.”

Practical strategies are the only kind I will even consider writing about.  On a day when you feast because it’s the company Christmas party, then do so with abandon! But the next day, limit your food intake. You really don’t need three big or even average meals on the next day. On the day your family celebrates Christmas with a grandiose table loaded with perhaps several meats and treats that you dream about all year long, go ahead and enjoy it! But the day before and the day after, eat significantly less. Your goal is to enjoy, right?  Well, you will enjoy it even more if you do this.

Another strategy that works is to eat more slowly. Think of the word savor. Teach our children to savor each bite (we can only do that if we learn to do it ourselves), rather than hurry. A small piece of pie can that way bring us much more satisfaction than a large one. Let yourself notice each aspect of various flavors and textures. Talk about them. Enjoyment will be heightened. (Of course, add to that the satisfaction of going home and not needing Tums.)

 The law of diminishing returns is always in effect. No matter how much pleasure we derive from things like good food and drink, it will take more to make us feel good. Unless we deny ourselves for a day or two. Then we return to thankfulness mode and appreciate every bite.

Hmmmm, doesn’t that sound appetizing?!

How to Defeat the Gimmes

How, in a culture gone mad with materialism, do we teach our kids that “it is more blessed to give than to receive?”   There is no time that is more important to remember and teach this to our children than during the Christmas season! 

An article in a Focus on the Family magazine that addressed that very topic impressed me.  The author reports watching in dismay as their children grabbed the gifts, opened them hastily and without expressing any thanks, greedily went on looking for more. Then the children complained when they didn’t get “as many” as a sibling, or everything they wanted.

Out of one child’s mouth came the very definition of entitlement: “Is that all there are…?” What could be more disheartening to a Christian parent?

When I was growing up my family instituted a practice that we have also used with our children.  On Christmas morning, (or whenever the gifts are opened), one person selects a gift from under the tree for any family member he or she chooses and gives it to them. Everyone watches as that person opens it, enjoying it with him or her. After the recipient has thanked the giver, he or she gets up and gives one gift to someone else in the family. And it goes on this way until all the gifts are opened.

Here are some of the results of this structured giving. The kids usually choose their own gifts to hand out first.  We hear comments like “I know you’re going to like this!”  which show that they are truly delighting in the giving (as per Acts 20:35). Each person enjoys being the center of attention while they are opening their gift, and everyone learns to share the joy of someone else receiving a nice present.

The focus becomes more on the people giving and receiving the gifts than the gift itself, truly an advantage in our society, which is inundated with “stuff.”  Sometimes the kids will say things like, “Oh, Dad hasn’t opened a present for a while, where’s one for him?”  It brings order to the otherwise free-for-all that occurs where there is no structure, and the kids seem to enjoy it more. 

All children need a balance of structure and nurture. And role models. It is up to us to model for them godly character: self-control, patience, love of giving, and unselfishness that are the hallmarks of our faith in Christ.

 Giving to charity, volunteering at homeless shelters, filling gifts boxes for the less fortunate, even dropping money in the Salvation Army kettles teach valuable lessons to those little eyes which are constantly watching.

What values will we pass on to the next generation?  May this be a season of truly honoring Him in our homes rather than succumbing to the dictates of our ever-darkening culture.