It’s the day after Christmas as I write this blog from my Dad’s house, while enjoying my favorite beverage of course, a cup of coffee.
There’s holiday music playing in the background, holiday movies playing in the other room, or sports, depending on the schedule, and thankfully, plenty of food – particularly holiday treats and desserts. And with the number of family members, friends and colleagues that I’ve come in contact with, it got me to thinking – can I imagine my Christmas and New Year’s holiday without coffee? Do I find myself drinking more coffee during the holidays? Or Less?
Well – I feel that it depends upon a few factors …
The Holiday Treats
In one of my earlier blogs, I wrote about how those extra treats along with our coffee can increase our sugar intake.
Whenever I’m enjoying a cup of coffee, whether at home, the office or out at the cafe, there’s always that temptation to have something with it. In fact, I discovered that it’s a natural craving of mine to want to munch or chew on something sweet, while sipping my coffee, whether it’s a cookie, donut, scone, danish – anything!
Now don’t get me wrong – this is a craving that happens year round for me, and one that I’m constantly fighting off. I am disciplined enough to limit my cravings, or avoid that slice of dessert when I’m out enjoying my cup of joe. But when the holidays roll around, it seems to bring with it an increase of treats.
There’s the coworkers at the office bringing in their homemade cookies or pies in the break room, or the relatives bringing over something a little extra for dessert – like a cake or pie – that I normally would do without. But it’s just hard to say no to some of these things. And let’s face it – if I’m offered a piece of German chocolate cake with whip cream – a person like me is bound to want to have an extra cup of coffee to enjoy it with, making it taste that much better!
The Cold Weather
This is another factor that can have an impact on my coffee drinking. Let’s face it, if you live in a cold climate during the winter months, the first thing that you want to reach for when coming in out of the cold is getting something warm in you.
I grew up in New York and also lived in Chicago and Michigan during some harsh winters, mixed with plenty of ice, storms, whiteouts and lots of snow shoveling.
Not only did I increase the amount of coffee I drank to help warm me up – but there’s also the temptation to want to stay in bed on a cold winter morning. Or even worse – just trying to stay awake in general and fight off that drowsy feeling that can come with the cold weather.
I actually remember reaching for an extra cup of coffee many times, particularly during Thanksgiving and Christmas season. Was it the cold weather that brought this on? The Holidays? Or a combination of both?
Holiday Coffee Specials
This is one that only affects those of us who regularly go to the coffee houses and franchises on to meet up with friends, study or ready quietly over a cup of joe. It’s usually around the holiday time when the seasonal drinks roll around with their unique holiday blends and flavors.
And there’s always something for everyone and you don’t even need to be a serious coffee drinker to notice it. There’s Pumpkin Spice, Eggnog Lattes, “Noggaccino”, Gingerbread Latte’s, Peppermint Mocha’s and others. You can even find a variety of seasonal teas and other drinks like apple ciders or your Caramel Apple Spices. (I always get these two names mixed up when asking for them, thinking that they’re the exact same drink when they’re not
Even if you’re not a regular patron to your local Starbucks or neighborhood coffee house, you’ll find plenty of new flavors just shopping in your local supermarket, between the seasonal coffee creamers and flavored syrups.
I have to admit, that I’m even personally guilty of reaching for these seasonal brands myself when they come out during the fall and winter months instead of the healthier, low-fat alternatives.
Family Gatherings
This is the biggest weakness for me – the family gatherings and outings. I already have a couple of occasions when I get together with the family for big dinners on Thanksgiving and Christmas – which usually means dinner, desert, possible football – NFL or college – and a lot of sitting around and chatting away. That usually means an extra cup of coffee for me.
There’s just something about all the talking and chit-chatting that takes place when I’m with a friend, colleague, in a meeting, and gets to the point where it’s very engaging. That caffeine tends to just add a little something extra to the conversation for me – especially if it’s already a stimulating conversation.
Staying up later than normal
This may not be a big deal for some people who are night owls. But for the rest of us normal coffee drinkers who actually have to get up and go to work the next morning? I’d say it’s a big deal, especially around the holiday when I have the time off. If I’m not out and about with some friends or family, I may be up watching a game, or spending some extra time watching a movie or enjoying a hobby a lot later than normal.
And why wouldn’t I? After all – I’m off from work and don’t have to get up early the next day. And that usually means putting on an extra pot of coffee knowing that getting to bed early is not a priority right now.
Also – we’re just naturally lazier when the holidays come around. Especially during the winter months. We tend to sleep in a little later, nap a little more, or fight a little harder to get out of bed on a cold morning. I don’t know about you – but feelings like these make me want to reach for that extra cup of coffee to keep me energized.
Conclusion
Do you find yourself drinking more coffee during the holidays? Or grabbing that holiday special from Starbucks that you normally wouldn’t get any other time of the year? What are your thoughts?
