: Hi Lucy

: I totally get the association thing
: and feeling safe with certain
: foods etc., everyone here knows
: how you feel on that one.

: My suggestion will take a little time
: to build up, but perhaps gradually
: in the future you can look at
: something that will fit the step
: you are on, whichever step that is
: at the time, food wise, that can
: be your special food for special
: occasions, or treat yourself to
: something else that is not a food,
: it doesn't have to be expensive.

: Christmas used to be hard for me,
: there are so many foods we
: associate with different times of
: the year, even smells, spices etc.
: For me, gorgeously scented bubble
: baths can be a good replacement,
: especially as my favourite scent
: is Oranges, and the scent always
: reminds me of Christmas and
: Satsumas. Another good one I have
: is Gingerbread Latte scented
: bubble bath.

: Maybe you can have fun thinking of
: what you might have as your
: special little thing/s.

: Love

: Jane
: xx

Thanks Jane, Those are really good ideas. Wow, its hard to think about doing that. But I can see it would help. I need to start thinking non-food treats, lol. I hope I am further down this road and stronger before the onslaught of sweets for the Holidays. I am not big on Halloween, so that shouldn't be a big struggle, Thanksgiving is tough but it's one day to get through. But Christmas? I love Christmas and all the smells and treats, TV specials, kids programs, open houses, friends, family, Christmas Eve services, reflection and gratefulness... The treats start early and last for weeks. Although listening to myself and reading what I just wrote, about all that I love about the Christmas season (see we even call it a season, not just a day), I just realized that although sweets are around for most of that, there is a lot I love about the whole Christmas season that isn't food. The trick is that people "love on me" with treats and I "love on others" with treats too. I love baking treats for people. I am going to have to figure out other ways to show people that I am thinking of them, and that they are special to me, including for my kids. Maybe that will be the subject of another post to see if anyone has ideas.
Thank you so much for your reply. It helps to know someone "gets it." And your ideas have really got me thinking "outside the cookie jar," so-to-speak. ;)
Thanks you.
Hugs, Lucy