Nobody loves me, everybody hates me,

Guess I’ll go eat worms.

 We’ve all had times when we could sing that song!  However, we usually sing,

Nobody loves me, everybody hates me,

Guess I’ll go eat cookies.

Emotional eating can be our downfall, particularly during and right after the holiday season.  Stress and, often, disappointment raise their heads during this busy time.   Family get-togethers can be more like Family Feud than The Waltons.  Gifts bought carefully and sacrificially can be greeted with a request to exchange it for something “better.”  You may find yourself stuck in the kitchen cooking and cleaning up rather than enjoying your family.  The gifts under the tree bearing your name may seem insignificant when compared to those you bought for others.

For these reasons — and others — people often feel depression instead of cheer during the holidays, which leads to emotional eating — and overeating.

How can you avoid this trap?  Being aware of the danger is the first step.  It’s real life and it happens, so be prepared.

Having realistic expectations can also help you avoid holiday disappointments.  Don’t expect everyone to expend the same level of effort as you do — and don’t work yourself into a pitch of anticipation over visits and gifts.  If you are prepared for real life responses, you won’t be let down.

If your efforts aren’t appreciated, maybe you need to scale back.  There is no law that you HAVE to do all that baking, decorating and shopping. Be kind to yourself and do only what you WANT to do.

It’s perfectly all right to allow yourself a “make-up” treat, as long it isn’t food. If you never get the gift you want, maybe you should buy yourself one.  Figure an after-Christmas-sale gift for yourself into the budget or order yourself a new book. Plan a movie night or a trip to see Christmas lights, or something else you enjoy.  You are the only one responsible for your happiness — so if you aren’t happy, do something about it.

And when disappointment comes, or you just feel blue and let down, don’t reach for the worms — or the cookies.  Take a walk or do some other exercise instead.

Remember that it isn’t just you. Lots of people feel under-appreciated and overworked during this time of year.  Be nice to yourself — and have a Merry Christmas!

Eating to live and living for Christ,

Susan Jordan Brown