I wonder how it happened that gluttony became part of the Christmas season.

Could it be the social aspect of it, since food is just part of gathering with friends and family at any time of the year? Did it start out innocently enough and just get carried away, like so often happens in our culture? Do we need to keep up with others who cook and bake to excess for the holidays? Do we save up cooking of yummy, rich foods for a whole year so we can bring it out for this special time of year?

Sure, we all have special food that we associate with Christmas. During the holiday eating time, I had lefse and rice pudding, and I’m not even Norwegian. I always enjoy good kringla, even though I’m not Swedish. And then there are all the holiday baked goods that aren’t specific to any nationality. But they’re still tasty.

I grew up with oyster soup on Christmas Eve. Served after the program at church, it was the only time of the whole year we had it. I liked the soup but never ate the oysters. The menu was always the same and included Christmas layered salad made from red and green Jello. One thing that helped make it special is that supper was served much later than usual on a lovely table with the good china and a tablecloth. It was all part of the season of overeating.

Biscuits and gravy are a standard in my family for Christmas morning. While I can make very adequate sausage gravy, my biscuits would never win any prize. My mother’s biscuits were hard to compete with but wonderful to eat. Maybe that’s why my kids always tease me about my humble offering. I just tell them that gravy is the most important part of this holiday meal because it covers up the biscuits anyway.

If you don’t believe that eating too much over the holidays is a problem, just check the cover of just about any women’s magazine, where you’ll find the required hype for tips on how to eat less, what to eat, how to eat, and how many pounds one can expect to gain between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. That time period is a minefield for anyone trying to hold the line on weight, but these articles promise to help you navigate it safely.

Sometimes it is almost a relief when another holiday eating frenzy is behind us. When the cookie plates no longer even look appetizing, it’s time to move on.