Thank you for listening to me

Same here, pretty much, so I feel for you! Protein drinks and boiled beets, yay.

But there is next year's holidays to look forward to!

Try using beautiful cups! Wine glasses, ornate mugs, shot glasses, stemmed flutes, Moscow mules, etc. (the difference aesthetically pleasing cups can make on drinking habits is astounding, no small wonder the market for glitzy travel mugs & water bottles has risen)

Join in the activities merge your new tradition of a healthier lifestyle with old traditions of celebrating, try not isolating yourself and creating problems that don't exist, show everyone that you choose this life and love it.

Safe Journey ?

Ok, so I do just have to ask both the OP and the second poster...the heck?

Were you FORCED into having this miracle surgery that will change your life for the better forever???!!! What the heck is one holiday without familiar food? As @GreenTealael suggests you can STILL make it festive, fun, and can still have it filled with family and friends.

OMG. No body is dyin' here! LOL. This is the BEGINNING of the rest of your fabulous lives. It's cause for celebration, cuz of the bazillions of obese people who need this surgery, you have been blessed to qualify for it and receive it. It's a Christmas "merkle", a great gift! Celebrate!!!

It is ALL a matter of attitude and mindset.

I think it is totally normal to be bummed that you can't enjoy those delicious favorites, especially if you are on liquids and are drinking a carton of RTD nastiness and can't even have solids. It didn't keep them from making the right decision and having the surgery at this especially difficult time of the year, and they aren't disregarding their plan to indulge. They just feel a little crappy, and that's ok.

25 minutes ago, Swanton_Bomb said:

It didn't keep them from making the right decision and having the surgery

I hope they understand and feel this way also!

I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A NEW CHAPTER IN YOUR LIFE. I was in the middle of my 2 week all liquid when my daughter was having her blow out birthday party. I still went and had a good time. Fill up before you go and take more with you. You are doing this for YOU, Right!!!!!

You can still enjoy the holidays with your family. It isn't all about food. At Thanksgiving I was on pure liquids. Instead of drinking my shake from the ready made carton, I poured it into a glass and had a great time with all of the folks around me.

For Christmas I am on full menu and my children are totally ok with preparing the foods without the sugars and such.. but my main point is.. I bought Almond Milk Egg Nog.. and mixed 4 ounces with 4 ounces of water, and then my whey protein.. to make my protein shake.. YEP! I will do it again tomorrow because to me.. I am drinking egg nog at Christmas and that is the #1 Tradition we have.. and I can participate. YOU can find a way.. remember YOU are in control of what you can do.. and how your holiday turns out! Don't make it about food, but about family.. even if there are a few things food related you can make it work. I am 100% sure you can make the same EggNog Protein Shake!!! Be creative and set your minds to making it positive and fun!

6 hours ago, LustyDraconianMaid said:

Same here, pretty much, so I feel for you! Protein Drinks and boiled beets,
But there is next year's holidays to look forward to!

Hopefully next year you wont want to eat all the sweets and stuff you see during the holidays. I know I sure wont!

6 hours ago, Swanton_Bomb said:

I think it is totally normal to be bummed that you can't enjoy those delicious favorites, especially if you are on liquids and are drinking a carton of RTD nastiness and can't even have solids. It didn't keep them from making the right decision and having the surgery at this especially difficult time of the year, and they aren't disregarding their plan to indulge. They just feel a little crappy, and that's ok.

This is pretty spot on to how I feel! I can't enjoy the food for this holiday, and that is upsetting for someone who always has, especially given I have an unfortunate addiction to food. Like many people, my 'tradition' has always been to gather with friends/family and have a nice meal, and this is (in my opinion) one of the hardest times of the year to go through a long pre-op diet. Even so, I am determined to see it through no matter what.

I never mentioned at any point that I can't/won't enjoy it with family, or that I'm not grateful for getting the surgery. (This is more for @FluffyChix 's response.)

But neither am I going to sit here and proclaim that boiled beets and protein drinks are a fantastic holiday meal, lol.

1 hour ago, LustyDraconianMaid said:

But neither am I going to sit here and proclaim that boiled beets and Protein Drinks are a fantastic holiday meal, lol.

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/roasted-beets-with-goat-cheese/

https://deliciouslyorganic.net/sauteed-beets/

https://www.chowhound.com/recipes/beet-squash-and-radish-moroccan-stew-30271

Not sure why they need to be boiled only...

Make it work!

6 hours ago, GreenTealael said:

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/roasted-beets-with-goat-cheese/

https://deliciouslyorganic.net/sauteed-beets/

https://www.chowhound.com/recipes/beet-squash-and-radish-moroccan-stew-30271

Not sure why they need to be boiled only...

Make it work!

Oh, if only! I actually love pickled beets (and other beetroot dishes,) but I can't have those, sadly. The vegetables for the pre-op diet are very specific ones, and they can't have any kind of oil, cheese, etc. Basically boiled or roasted, though I do add some salt and seasonings (what is allowed, basically.)

4 hours ago, LustyDraconianMaid said:

Oh, if only! I actually love pickled beets (and other beetroot dishes,) but I can't have those, sadly. The vegetables for the pre-op diet are very specific ones, and they can't have any kind of oil, cheese, etc. Basically boiled or roasted, though I do add some salt and seasonings (what is allowed, basically.)

Roasted sounds a *little* more promising. And the right seasonings will go a long way! Enjoy ?

It is a it of a mind-bleep that can sometimes catch you unawares.
Christmas isn't a thing for me, for obvious reasons, but I have just recently discovered the main reason I liked going to the movies was for the popcorn and icecream. I've had a couple of opportunities to go to the movies post-op and both times they were really meh. Then I realised, I used to get all excited about the popcorn coz that's what movies meant to me as a kid! So it's been a painful realisation that my enjoyment level was so connected to the food part.

Oh goodness, I hadn't realized you were pre-op. That is so much harder. If you can do this, you can do anything!

It was a little difficult to be around all the Xmas food but happily mom didn’t make the cookies I love and I’ve never been that crazy about turkey..I just told myself it was one night , one year , next yr I can have little tastes if I want .