Every year about this time it starts. That unresistable season of sweets and candies. It starts at Halloween and ends shortly after New Years, with a brief come back at Valentine's Day.
Working in an office environment only makes it worse. I have a theory about it. You see, other people who don't even try to resist all that sugar feel duty bound to tempt the rest of us into their folly.
As I sit here typing this there is a very large bowl decorated with cobwebs and spiders that is stuffed with 4-5 different types of candies. It was suggested by my beloved HR department that each department (and possibly every inidividual) have a candy bowl on their desk so that when we celebrate Halloween on Thursday that we could bring our children in to treat or treat.
Okay, two major flaws in that whole scenario. Why are we celebrating Halloween on the 29th, and more important, why do we want to give our children the impression and mommie and daddie work in an office full of candy?!!
Thanksgiving will roll around and people, bless their hearts, will start bringing in pies and breads. They'll put pumpkin and nutmeg in everything and call you a spoiled sport if you don't at least try the goodies.
Do I even need to mention Christmas?! Cookies, fruitcake, candies ...... lets not forget spiced cider, eggnog ..... I think of Christmas as the sugar holiday of all holidays. I fully expect to get homemade cookies from at least one of my coworkers. I'll have to eat them or try to sneak them home to my housemates to spare myself.
I get that we as a society use food to show our affection for one another. A sign of hospitality and acceptance. I just wish we didn't rely on these so much. I don't think I'm obsessed with watching my diet. Well, no more than anyone else. I'd love to get a photo album, a scented candle, cute gloves or a certificate for a day at the spa rather than cookies, starbucks cards, alcohol or chocolates.
But ..... in the end, I try to remember that I can always lose my "winter coat" but it would be nearly impossible to regain the goodwill lost if I rejected the generosity of my friends and coworkers.
