When I went gluten free in June of 2012, I spent a LOT of time researching everything related to gluten allergies and intolerances. By the holiday season of 2012, I had adjusted pretty well. And by "adjusted," I really mean "found a way to completely cut gluten out of my personal diet." But during the holiday season, I realized that although I had fully adjusted, my loved ones were still new to the burdens of accommodating gluten free living. It was a tough season together, to say the least. This year, however, friends and family have been eager to share the ways they managed to adjust their holiday plans to include me. After last year's tears, it's been especially sweet to see how much effort my loved ones have now made on my behalf.
Eventually, I found it so normal to maintain a gluten free home that I settled into my own gluten free rut. So this winter, I wanted to start branching out and trying new recipes and strategies for the holiday season. I went on-line and searched for "gluten free holidays" and found some sites that I wanted to record for my own easy access. Then I thought other people might find these references helpful too. So here's what I've narrowed down as holiday how-to of gluten free celebrations.
Learning to bake gluten free:
A professional blogger's advice:
(Gluten Free Goddess is one of my all-time favorites.)
Holiday preparations for a gluten free friend:
What to do if this is YOUR first holiday going gluten free:
Helpful holiday insights for us all:
Above all, I hope this encourages people to see that going gluten free doesn't have to ruin any of our favorite holiday celebrations. After all, although American holidays often center around food and drink, the real focus should be that we share joy and gratitude with those we love.
P.S. I want to offer a special thank you to those who have made the effort to adjust for me, and to make me feel like you don't mind doing it. It's nice to feel like we can really enjoy the holidays together again this year.
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