I remember years ago in wondering how each holiday would go after diagnosis and then realizing AFTER each one passed that the holidays could still be a lot of fun.
If you are struggling with that idea or if you are in the middle of trying something new (and maybe stressful) for the holidays, try to relax and focus on the memories that you are creating. Remember, it is always kids first, diabetes second. Tonight like any other night, can be wonderful... even with type 1 diabetes.
So here is an insider's peek at what we will be doing tonight.
Typically, we enjoy a relaxing night at home with our children - that didn't change with diagnosis. However, since they are getting older and now staying awake until the ball drops, we have modified some of the fun to make it a more family friendly holiday.
We start with several pre-packaged Christmas crackers. Each family member has a turn in selecting the cracker and reading an enclosed fortune. This will kick off our party and set the tone for the remaining fun.
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| The large Christmas Cracker contains party hats and music makers. Perfect for New Year's Eve! |
After opening the Christmas cracker, according to the correct clock, the kids may open a countdown bag of "New Year's Eve Fun".
I typically put bags filled with treasures that match clues on our dining room table with specific hours to open each bag. Since the clues are attached early in the day, the kids like walking over to look at the bag and to try to guess what the clue might mean.
The fun is not only in the clue, but what has been filled inside. Instead of just handing the girls a hat and a noisemaker, we make it into a game with a clue. I also add little trinkets or card games to help pass the time along. After all, waiting patiently is a learned skill for all of us!
Here is a closer look at our New Year's Eve Fun bags for 2012. Another version that I found on Pinterest is here or here.
This purple bag includes several loud but super fun noise makers like old fashioned tin handle ones and plastic lip whistles.
The girls will love this next bag as it includes an assortment of plastic beads, sparkly sunglasses and mustache wear. Yes, even little girls love to put on a fake mustache but who knew that mustaches now come in colors?
In between the hourly opening of bags, we sneak in blood sugar checks and dinner. By about 10:00 p.m., our crowd of two grows restless, so I will offer a snack.
This year we will be enjoying home made pizza with a combo bolus and an appetizer of tortilla chips and warmed spinach-artichoke dip. The kids have a selection of flavored waters and diet soda to choose from, while us older peeps will sample a new sparkling wine from Costco. If there was ever a time for pizza, tonight is the night as we will all be wide awake for hours after eating it.
So there you have it! Celebrating New Year's Eve with the Naturally Sweet Sisters. Simple, fun and festive. The nice part is that our holiday has little to no impact on blood sugars, other than the small rise from excitement of watching the ball finally dropping... or as my youngest daughter loves to announce... being able to stay up until midnight!!!!
Enjoy ringing in 2013 and Happy New Year!!!!!
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