When I was growing up (and now) food was a major component to any 'enjoyable' celebration. Lately, because I'm saying 'no' more to unhealthy food and even declining invitations 'to eat', it's become shockingly noticable to me just how significant food is to any special occassion big or small.


What is your favorite holiday or day of celebration ?
What are 3 NON FOOD related things you can/will do on that day ?


Fourth of July
-------------------------------------
Go to a parade
Go to the ocean
Go to Fireworks

Just wanted to say that one way I distanced myself from the whole "food=celebration fun" thing was to fast or follow a strict diet for Spiritual and cleansing purposes during times when others were overindulging (think Thanksgiving to New Years). I now can enjoy any holiday without eating the same things others are at parties and gatherings etc.

haven't figured that one out yet!

For Mother's day, we went for a bike ride in the morning and attended a family matinee movie in the afternoon. I'm a cheapskate so we have never bought any of the overpriced goodies at the concession stand.

My biggest struggles are with Easter and Halloween (think chocolate!). Easter knocked me off track for a while earlier this year.

I'd love to hear any ideas, even if they haven't been tried yet.

My favorite holidays are the summer holidays...which is good because in the winter it seems like all there is to do here is sit inside and eat!!

4th of July is my favorite of all the summer holidays. My favorite non-food activities are watching the fireworks with DH, walking around the annual town carnival, and sitting outside by the pond. Generally being outside naturally makes me less inclined to binge. It's when I'm sitting cooped up inside that I start thinking about what kind of trouble I can get into.

Well, Mother's Day, I had a massage. It was grand!!!

I don't consider food to be the core of the celebration for any holiday, really. I do what I am going to do and also, I eat, usually as I normally do. It's been working for me so far.

I guess this reply will just reinforce that holidays are often times about food.
On mother's day I had the party. I had mostly healthy items to choose from.

They had a choice to make healthier choices and there was some unhealthy choices available too. I just wasn't motivated enough to come up with something really healthy for desert but there was fruit available to go with the VERY bad for you cake.

I don't think anyone felt they missed anything by having mostly healthy food instead of high fat items.

I ended up eating leftovers all week and I lost weight during that week.

My own birthday is my worst "holiday"! I always like to treat myself to a special meal at a restaurant, and/or a party where anything goes. It's just a total day of gluttony for me.

And to tell the truth, I have no desire to change that.

As far as the holidays go, I'm not to worried. We really only do Thanksgiving and Christmas. Even with the standard dinners of past, there are good choices. Turkey, green beans and such. Now we'll just check the little things like no marshmallows on the yams, whole wheat rolls. With dessert I can still have a small piece of pie instead of a 1/4 pie slice. I don't want to give up those two days a year and just don't think it's necessary. The other holidays, ie. July 4th, birthdays, we've never gone nuts over. Mostly I'll be paying attention to portion control.

What get's to me is all the other food rewards out there. At work it's usually pizza and for something big a BBQ with a bunch of crap food. If something good happens with family or friends it's "Let's go out to dinner to celebrate." These are the ones that I need alternatives for.

Haha you people are still very lucky. I come from a culture that food is the A and the Z OF social and cultural life. Declining a dinner invitation can shock people out of their minds and asking them to do something else apart from going out to eat is considered abnormal. Now that I study abroad, when I go home for the two-week holidays all my friends invite me here and there to eat almost every night. How many times can one refuse without offending someone?

i think food isnt such a huge thing in england, its booze to be honest!

Oh, how I miss booze. I have lost an entire set of girlfriends who used to invite me for "lunch", an excuse to drink a lot and have a great time.

I guess my last post put a hex on me. This week we have a Pizza Safety Meeting AND a Million Man Hours with no Injuries BBQ. I swear this company hired someone, is paying them more than I make and their only job is to stay up nights trying to figure out new ways to torture me. Please, God, give me strength!!!

My favorite holiday is Christmas. The non-food-related ways I celebrate:

1. Wrapping/unwrapping presents on Christmas Eve
2. Watching "The Christmas Story" on TBS 100 times
3. Spending all of Christmas Day in pajamas watching new DVDs