How to avoid sitting down to Christmas dinner?

I can relate a little to your situation. I have learned to sit and enjoy family on the holidays.

I am on a very restrictive diet and most things others eat I can not. I have learned to take some of my own foods with me to eat. I also have to be strict with my time I eat. I am a diabetic also, but also have End Stage Renal Disease which has a very restrictive diet.

I just explain to others that my health dictates what and when I eat and there is nothing I can do to change that. Most others understand and those who don't never will.

Even if you are not very family oriented and hate having meals with your family, I think you should try to make an exception for Christmas dinner. They should know you eat at specific times due to your health issues. Don't "pretend" to eat. They'll notice. Instead, sit down with your family and have a beverage and just a few bites of something. If you can, eat smaller portions at your regular meal or "save" something to eat with your family's dinner. Surely there is something you can nibble on - even it it's just a few carrot sticks or a little salad. Enjoy a pleasant time and some good conversation with your family. The meal won't last long, and you'll make them happy. One of the joys of Christmas is to share good times with family. Surely you can do it for a half-hour or so..

It took a while for my family to accept it, but my nephew hates to sit with the family at the table. He was miserable. The family eventually realized that instead of forcing him to sit at the table and be unhappy, it was much easier to let him do his own thing. Now he sits in the other room or doesn't eat at the same time at all.

There was some yelling and screaming on both sides (my family screams, I hope that doesn't happen to everyone.) Instead of deciding my nephew had an attitude problem and he needed to learn a lesson by sitting there and "enjoying the holiday with the family G-D Damnit" the adults had to realize that the holidays were not the time to force someone to do something that makes them unhappy. If he didn't want to be there it was best for everyone if they didn't try to bully him into it.

I don't know your family's situation or your relationship with the rest. I suggest honesty - tell them you're uncomfortable. Tell them you're going to excuse yourself and you'll rejoin them later - they should go ahead and eat without you. I hope that everyone will be respectful.

Why not just fix a plate for yourself and eat it when you are ready. Take a plastic plate that is disposable in case they bring up the fact that you are holding up their cleaning up. Explain about your medications etc. Then sit and converse with them while they eat and eat when you're ready. Case Solved.

You should be glad you HAVE a family to eat with. There are so many who don't have that. It sounds to me like you have been spoiled too long already. What is one day out of the hundreds of your life? Can't you give them one hour? It doesn't sound like the end of the world to me. Put food on your plate and push it around. Stop being so selfish and give them something to be happy about. the world does not revolve around you.

It's easy to pretend to eat without eating. You do lots of cutting and shoving food around on your plate. Then when you get food close to your mouth to take a bite, you talk to somebody instead. Watch this clip from skins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arSnTinghwg