Feasting the Festive Fastivities

Well, it’s getting close to that time again - all the major cities are sparkling with fairy lights, shops are staying open longer, shepherds are watching o’er their flocks by night and the seasonal Coca Cola trucks are rolling through town to let us know the holidays are coming.

There is nothing more encapsulating than the first Noel – chestnuts roasting on an open fire, the twinkling of trees and the chanting of carols, and the beginnings of a party season blossoming at full Christmas bloom. But, as I saunter towards the season of Santa and consider the fun and frolics for the coming weeks of St Nic, I am forced to set down my eggnog for this brief yuletide blog as I wonder….are we facing a fattening folly by embracing the Christmas season too jolly?

Every year we seem to start a little sooner, tempted from late November to make it a Christmas to remember. But before we revel in the myriad of mistletoe and wine, should we stop to give some thought to the perils on the waistline?

Whilst ‘tis indeed the season to be jolly, unless rolling around the office party in a red suit is our Christmas wish, then the real santa clause is to quite simply put down the dish. For every mince pie hides an unpleasant surprise, every ginger bread latte a step closer to festive fatty and, after all, it doesn’t take St Nic to tell who has been naughty or nice with the cinnamon and spice when there is nobody rocking your Christmas stocking and the only way to go under the mistletoe is with another shot of eggnog to kiss the office frog...

So, before we hark the herald angels sing, I wonder .... if we want to offer peace and goodwill to all men (or at least a few wise ones), is it about time we embrace the true fast-ive spirit of the season? Or, to really sparkle and shine this Christmas time, do we need to say no-no-no before its time time for ho-ho-ho?

'Til next time, Pandora