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 fine 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.

Remember this motto to live by:

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Merry Christmas everyone !

Beggars can't be choosy, hohoho........................Merry Xmas to you and yours.......

Hmm...Christmas in India should be great!

Curried eggs with curry.

Basmati rice

Vegetable curry, with a side dish of dhal - and some curried stuff to go with it...

Curried dead animal (if we can convince them that we are NOT vegetarians).

Some kind of curry to go all of that...

Then deserts here are a real treat - slightly fruit flavoured sugar coated cubes of sugar in jelly...

Milk and flour rolled in balls, dipped in sugar and boiled in ghee.

They really like chocolate cake here too...

So I guess my Xmas dinner will be something like this...

....enjoy....

Oh...and Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Good Night!

grezzy - does the desert have curry in it too, or is that a side dish as a flavouring?

I think it should also be noted that for more ADVANCED eating tips . . . you should contact Cherie Atwood . . . who is currently the TF Expert on anything that has to do with eating!!

Papa, I'm training her, She is doing the crash course

And doing very well I may add lol

Papa - definitely NO comment there & I'm sure there are MANY others who would agree.

MERRY XMAS Cherie jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa luv ya naaaaaaaaaaaaaa.