Unbuttoned Pants/Opened Wallets |
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| Written by Will Parker |
| Wednesday, 31 December 2008 19:00 |
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Whenever the holidays roll around, my first thought isn’t the promise of laughs with old friends, or the awkward small talk that I’ll have to stumble through with people I haven’t seen since high school. I don’t immediately think about having to sleep in my old bed in my high school bedroom in my parents’ house. My mind doesn’t instantly turn to the heated conversations and good-humoured teasing which will fill most of my family time back home. No, it’s none of these things (although they are all wonderful). Perhaps not surprisingly, for me the holidays are synonymous with food.  I’m not just talking about basic sustenance here. I mean the type of over-the-top gorging which is only acceptable -- and in fact encouraged -- at those very special occasions. I’m thinking comfort food – meat and carbs and sauces galore. I’ll even make room on my plate for all those veggies, since I can guarantee they’ve been candied or roasted or gratineed to an artery-clogging level of deliciousness. This is the reason they created stretch fabrics. The fact that there’s going to be “stuffing” on the table really ought to say it all. You remember the opening scene in Oliver!, where the workhouse boys dance around their London orphanage while singing and salivating about glorious food? Or when Beauty and the Beast’s Lumière serenades Belle with back-up dancers Cogsworth and Ms. Potts, inviting listeners to effectively commit gluttony? That’s the type of feasting I’ve got in mind. The holidays never fail to provide wonderful opportunities to get nostalgic for those dishes grandma used to make, and those secret recipes that have been passed down for generations. Food plays a pivotal role in almost every holiday celebration, and it is impossible to ignore the salient emotional ties we make between our own favourites and many festivities. For me, I couldn’t imagine celebrating Christmas without a  turkey and all the fixings – without boxes of clementines, egg nog, and my newest obsession – candy cane crackle ice cream. My German partner couldn’t make it through Thanksgiving without roasted lamb, red cabbage and spaetzle. My Greek friend is forever looking forward to loukoumades and spiced wine, which will greet her as she crosses the family threshold at Greek Easter. Whether it’s healthy or not (and I mean mentally, because I won’t even try to convince you gluttony is a beneficial physical trait), certain foods just make us happy. As we gather together to eat, drink and be merry, all holidays provide an important opportunity to reflect on our own favourites, and be thankful for those memories we can share around the table. I ask you just one thing the next time you gather to gorge – remember those many less fortunate people in our communities who are in need. Donate to your local food bank and be as generous with your pocketbook as you plan to be with your second and third slices of Aunt Alice’s famous apple pie. And while the holidays provide a much-needed impetus to focus on giving to an outstretched hand, remember that the need is great all year round. While we resolve to be better neighbours, think about giving some time to a soup kitchen, organizing a workplace food drive, baking some cookies to give to the homeless, or picking up something extra to drop in the donation bin with each grocery store visit. I realize there are a lot of worthy causes out there, and I am not trying to sound idealistic or preachy. It’s just that, for me, food plays such a central part in my life that I can’t imagine how important it must be for someone who is truly hungry. So this year, reflect on your own love for eating and remember to lend a hand to those who are in need. Trust me – it’ll leave you feeling full in a way that doesn’t involve antacids, sweatpants and naps.
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