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canoga
12-08-2004, 02:44 PM
1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet
table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see
carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum
balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like in single-malt
scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You
can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares
that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to
turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have
one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of
gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of
your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or
whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports
car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control
your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat
other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New
Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do.
This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the
buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of
eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like
frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position
yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before
becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of
shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or,
if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always
have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor
Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the
mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have
some standards!!!!!!!!!!!!

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party
or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention.
Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

spiffyone
12-08-2004, 04:11 PM
You and Huey need to do s swap - his list for your list! That was a riot.

My additional creed, when spending Christmas with my fiance's family in Alabama, is "If there is a yummy Southern fried thing that you can't get at home, better eat it. You're only down here twice a year."

And there are a LOT of them...

When we land in Birmingham on 12-21 (notice I am saying "when," not "if"), the first thing we will do is drive directly to this cafeteria-style restaurant where they have fried green tomatoes, turnip greens, black eyed peas, etc ,etc. We will have lunch at like 11:00 because we will have gotten up at 3:30 and yours truly can't even think about food when she's flying.

So...I keep kind of skipping over the flight in my head and just thinking about the FOOD.

:hamster

canoga
12-08-2004, 05:25 PM
Fried green tomatoes are to DIE for!

Mmmmmm. If you can dip it in flour and egg and throw it into a vat of hot oil, count me in.

LOL about concentrating on food to get through the flight. I got panicky one flight and for some reason I blurted out to my hubby, "If we live through this flight, I'm ordering room service when we get to the hotel." I have no idea where that came from but it is now a sort of ritual. Since I can't eat for about 8 hrs prior to flying and certainly not anything on the flight (I think my mouth actually quits producing saliva), I'm always ravenous when I land. My 6yr old had gotten into the tradition and heads straight for the room service menu in the room.

noflyingfan
12-08-2004, 05:34 PM
My 6yr old had gotten into the tradition and heads straight for the room service menu in the room.

Beth, aren't you the one with the kids who eat the giant bag of gummy bears when you fly? How can they be hungry after that?

As for the fried stuff, I say yes yes yes. My sister just got a deep fryer for a wedding gift, and she's been pondering for the past few weeks just how bad she can make a food. She's considering deep frying Snickers bars -- oddly enough, there is a recipe for that.

canoga
12-08-2004, 05:45 PM
Yes. The first (AND LAST) time I brought candy on the plane with my children was this past flight. I won't go through that sugar-induced hyperactivity again!

When we land in LA in March, we will be whisked away to about a gazillion family meals with Mike's grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins......between that and the jet lag, I doubt I will be hungry until I return back to Cleveland.

Fried Snickers and fried Twinkies are on my "List of things to try before I die." Of course, I may *actually* die from them but it would still count.

WillFlyToDisney2
12-09-2004, 12:51 AM
Hey Beth,

Come on down to our fair each year - they fry EVERYTHING. Sometimes I just LOVE being Southern!

I just came home from a dinner out with the kids and had a Charleston delicacy - Shrimp & Grits. YUMMMMMMY!

Spiffy - what part of AL??? Are you guys still there over New Years? Nashville is only a short drive (and an even shorter flight!). I want to come to Boston one day - I heard from a friend that lives there that you guys had SNOW the other day. ACK!

:)
Kelley

spiffyone
12-09-2004, 03:35 PM
We'll be in Birmingham from 12-21 to 1-3 (leaving 1-3 early AM).
Actually we have plans to go to Huntsville and have lunch or brunch or something with Huey and Mrs. Huey on 1-2, the day before we leave.
We'll also be in Atlanta one day the week after Christmas.

Are you free on the 2nd? Come to Huntsville!

spiff

PS - we had snow MOnday. I forgot to put my scrapey thing in the car, so had to clear the snow off all the car windows with my bare hands (ouch).

WillFlyToDisney2
12-09-2004, 09:30 PM
Spiff, Huey, and everyone else - come on up to Nashville for New Year's Eve! Great concert happening there... :)

Spiff, I haven't booked my flights yet for New Years but right not I will probably fly in on the 29th or 30th and out on the 2nd. Will keep you updated but I wont have time to drive to AL. Sigh...

Kelley