It’s that time of year again when I am so disgusting in my slothfulness and overeating but, this year, rather than spending the entire two weeks imagining just how much of a paragon of health and wellness I will be as soon as the year is over, I am enjoying every bite I eat and every pound I gain.
Sure, come January I’ll be one of those people who convince themselves that it is the time they put down the mince pies, shun Quality Street for the rest of the days and begin to be repulsed by the very thought of eating six cookies in a row and all the while thinking of their next meal.
But, at the moment I’m in a lovely festive denial. I suspect, once I’ve flown away from the chilly United Kingdom and headed back to the tropical climes of Bangkok (I just remembered with horror that I have a beach holiday booked in early January), I might feel less enthused about all the mindless chocolates I ate this Christmas. Yes, January will be a new me. This will be different, I’m sure.
Anyway, I’ll think about that right after I’ve finished a whole fridge full of double cream, hummus, cheese, chocolate and pies that await me. Everyone knows you have to have a last blow-out before you clean up your act. It’s a bit like reaching rock bottom, only more delicious.
Christmas is my favourite time of year. Aside from eating too many chocolates (which virtually guarantees a good time is had), I love being back home for two weeks; the guilty pleasure of spending a whole day on the sofa watching Home Alone, Home Alone 2, Elf and Die Hard, or the fun of seeing familiar faces from your childhood as everyone migrates home for the festive season and bundling up in piles of clothes to keep you warm against the wintery weather. I love it all.
My last four days have been a blur of bundling up eating sugar in all its many and varied forms, wearing so many clothes I practically roll down the street and sleeping 10 hours every night.
But, while in many ways this is the most unhealthy, lazy time of year, I also think it’s the best time of year for the soul. My stress migraines and eczema have cleared up entirely, I have time to sleep as much as I want, I don’t have appointments to make or deadlines to meet, people to see, e-mails to write or bills to pay. All I have to do is be with my family and enjoy the moment. I’ve never been so in need of not doing anything but eating and sleeping and feeling loved in my whole life so, no, I won’t feel bad about a few extra (packets of) mince pies this season.
Sometimes looking after yourself means the exact opposite of what you think it does. Sometimes slacking off the gym for a couple of weeks and opting for a slice of cake with your mum is exactly what you need.
