Hi Lucy

I was wondering, if just maybe, part of the feeling that you are loving people by baking for them, may not JUST be about food, it may also be about giving something that you have made personally for them.

I wonder if perhaps making other types of things such as crafting, even making your own Christmas cards and cards for other celebrations may be something that could work for you. I know when my daughter wants to send people "Thank you" cards, she prefers to make them, especially for the people in her life who would appreciate that thought more than a store bought card. She is 16, and doesn't have any crafting supplies, she usually just draws them and colours them in with coloured pencils etc. But if you are "into" crafting etc., it could be a good idea. Just a thought.

As you get further along on the steps, you make be able to make food gifts for people without having any temptation or sadness around it yourself. I remember in one of Kathleen's books she mentioned she makes Christmas cookies for other people even though she doesn't eat them herself any more.

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