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Understanding Blood Glucose and Holiday Foods
The holiday season brings an abundance of festive foods, from sweet desserts to savory casseroles, that can significantly impact blood glucose levels. For the millions of Americans managing diabetes or prediabetes, navigating these celebrations requires thoughtful planning and smart strategies. The good news is that you don’t have to skip your favorite holiday traditions entirely—with the right approach, you can enjoy seasonal treats while maintaining healthy blood sugar control.
For those with diabetes or prediabetes, eating large and calorie-dense meals and treats can create genuine health risks for those trying to keep their blood glucose in check. Understanding how different foods affect your blood sugar is the first step toward making informed choices that allow you to celebrate without compromising your health.
The Science Behind Blood Sugar Spikes
When you consume carbohydrate-containing foods, your body breaks them down into glucose, which enters your bloodstream. The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating, with high GI foods being rapidly digested, absorbed and metabolized and resulting in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels.
Low GI foods increase glucose slowly in your body. This slower absorption helps prevent the dramatic spikes and crashes that can leave you feeling tired, irritable, and craving more sweets. Understanding this concept can help you make better choices at holiday gatherings.
Protein, fat and fibre can also affect the GI of a food, because they slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. This is why eating foods in combination—rather than consuming sweets on an empty stomach—can help moderate blood sugar responses.
Strategic Planning for Holiday Gatherings
Success during the holiday season starts well before you arrive at any celebration. Having a plan in place ensures that you still get the exercise you need and can enjoy some of the season’s treats without going overboard. Preparation is your most powerful tool for maintaining blood glucose control while still participating fully in holiday festivities.
Review Menus and Set Intentions
Before attending a holiday party or dinner, take time to think about what foods will likely be available and which ones you truly want to enjoy. To avoid making impulsive food decisions, plan your meals in advance by looking at the menu or considering what dishes might be served and deciding in advance what you will eat. This mental preparation helps you make deliberate choices rather than reactive ones when faced with a buffet table full of tempting options.
Consider which holiday treats are truly special to you—the ones you only get once a year—and prioritize those over everyday sweets that you could have any time. Focus on dishes you really love and can’t get any other time of year. This approach allows you to savor what matters most without feeling deprived.
The 90/10 Balance Approach
Balancing your holiday season with a 90/10 guide is a good way to go about it, where 90% of what you eat this holiday season is healthy, and 10% is something you may not typically enjoy. This framework provides flexibility while maintaining overall healthy eating patterns throughout the season.
This balanced approach recognizes that the holidays are about more than just food—they’re about connection, tradition, and celebration. By maintaining healthy eating habits most of the time, you create room for occasional indulgences without derailing your blood glucose management.
Bring Your Own Dish
If you’re bringing a dish, make it a healthy option so you know there’s something you can enjoy. This strategy ensures you’ll have at least one diabetes-friendly choice available, regardless of what other dishes are served. Consider bringing a vegetable-based appetizer, a salad with interesting textures and flavors, or a dessert made with sugar substitutes and whole grain ingredients.
Smart Food Selection Strategies
The foods you choose and how you combine them can make a significant difference in your blood glucose response. Making informed selections doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy holiday favorites—it means being strategic about what, when, and how much you eat.
Prioritize Low Glycemic Index Foods
Non-starchy vegetables, fruits like apples and berries, legumes and whole grains like quinoa help keep glucose levels steadier. These foods should form the foundation of your holiday plate. Fiber-rich foods such as legumes (beans, lentils and chickpeas), fruits (pears, grapefruits, cherries and apples), vegetables (spinach, carrots and asparagus) and starches (barley, oats and yams) are excellent choices that provide nutrients while minimizing blood sugar spikes.
When selecting from a holiday spread, look for whole, minimally processed options. Processed foods have a higher GI—for example, fruit juice and instant potatoes have a higher GI than whole fruit and whole baked potatoes. Choosing less processed versions of holiday favorites can help moderate your blood glucose response.
The Diabetes Plate Method
Fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter with protein, and a quarter with carbohydrates such as potatoes, bread or sweets. This visual guide makes portion control simple and ensures you’re getting a balanced meal that won’t cause dramatic blood sugar fluctuations.
Scan the table before filling your plate and choose smaller portions of your favorites, balanced with vegetables and lean proteins. This strategy prevents you from loading up on high-carbohydrate foods simply because they’re the first items you encounter.
Strategic Food Pairing
Consuming the treat or dessert with a meal that contains fat and/or protein can help prevent blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly. This means that if you’re going to enjoy a slice of pie, having it after a balanced meal with protein and healthy fats will result in a more moderate blood glucose response than eating it on an empty stomach.
Foods like rice or potatoes have valuable nutrients, and pairing them with protein, fiber, or healthy fats (e.g., chicken with a baked potato) can reduce the overall glycemic impact. This combination approach allows you to enjoy traditional holiday foods while minimizing their impact on your blood sugar.
The Order of Eating Matters
At a meal, try eating the non-starchy vegetables and protein first, then go for the rest, which can help reduce blood sugar spikes. Emphasize the proteins and leafy green vegetables, and add the starches and sweets to your plate last. This eating sequence helps you fill up on nutrient-dense, lower-glycemic foods before moving on to items that have a greater impact on blood glucose.
Mastering Portion Control
Even healthy foods can cause blood sugar problems when consumed in excessive amounts. Even low-GI foods can cause blood sugar spikes when eaten in large amounts. Portion control is one of the most effective tools for managing blood glucose during the holidays.
Use Smaller Plates and Visual Cues
Use a smaller plate so you’re less tempted to load it up—patients report it really works. This simple psychological trick can significantly reduce the amount you eat without making you feel deprived. Alternatively, commit to taking portions no larger than your fist. Using your hand as a measuring tool provides a consistent, portable way to estimate appropriate serving sizes.
Practice Mindful Eating
Eat slowly, as it takes at least 20 minutes for your brain to realize you’re full, so take your time before deciding if you want seconds. Slowing down allows your body’s natural satiety signals to catch up with your eating, helping prevent overconsumption.
Savor each bite of your favorite treats. Pay attention to the flavors, textures, and aromas. This mindful approach increases satisfaction from smaller portions and helps you truly enjoy what you’re eating rather than mindlessly consuming food while distracted by conversation or activities.
Just because it’s on your plate does not mean you have to finish it—when you’re full, you’re full. Give yourself permission to leave food on your plate when you’ve had enough. Sometimes there are too many holiday treats to fit into one meal, so instead of overeating, ask your host if you can take a favorite treat home for later.
Timing Your Meals and Snacks
When you eat can be just as important as what you eat when it comes to blood glucose management. Maintaining consistent meal timing helps keep your blood sugar stable throughout the day.
Don’t Skip Meals to “Save Room”
Some people skip breakfast and lunch the day of a holiday to “save room” for the big holiday dinner, but for people with diabetes, this can lead to blood glucose dips, especially if taking certain diabetes medications like insulin or a sulfonylurea, and can lead to overeating at dinner, which can cause your blood glucose to spike.
Skipping meals to save up for a big one should not be part of your plan—you’re more likely to overindulge at that meal if you haven’t eaten all day long, not eating could interfere with your medications, and starving and then stuffing yourself could lead to a huge swing in blood sugar.
Maintain Regular Eating Intervals
Starving yourself to make room for a large holiday meal can cause a dip in blood glucose, and you might be so hungry that you end up overeating, so eating a healthy snack between meals can keep you feeling satisfied and regulate your blood sugar. Eat close to your usual times to keep your blood sugar steady, and eat a small snack at your usual mealtime if needed, and have a little less when dinner is served.
You don’t necessarily need to eat a big breakfast or lunch the day of a holiday, but these meals should at least be balanced and well-spaced using the Diabetes Plate as your guide. This approach maintains stable blood glucose throughout the day while still allowing you to enjoy the main holiday meal.
Beverage Choices and Blood Sugar
What you drink can have just as much impact on your blood glucose as what you eat. Many holiday beverages are loaded with sugar and can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels.
Stay Hydrated with Water
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Water helps your kidneys flush out excess blood sugar and can help control appetite, preventing overeating. Aim to drink water consistently throughout holiday gatherings, especially if you’re also consuming alcohol or salty foods.
Avoid Sugary Beverages
Sugary beverages cause blood sugar to rise rapidly, and routine consumption can lead to excessive weight gain. Choosing water or unsweetened drinks helps avoid quick sugar spikes. Skip the eggnog, sweetened cider, and sugary cocktails in favor of water, unsweetened tea, or sparkling water with a splash of citrus.
Be Cautious with Alcohol
Alcohol can cause your blood sugar to drop too low because it blocks your liver from making emergency glucose. Depending on the drink, alcohol can either raise or lower blood sugar levels—beer and sweetened mixed drinks are full of carbohydrates that raise it, but alcohol stops the liver from producing blood sugar.
If you decide you want to drink, stick with a non-mixed drink or a glass of wine and eat while you drink to keep your blood sugar stable, and it’s important to monitor your blood glucose level before, during, and after drinking, and continue to test frequently for the next 24 hours. Test your blood glucose before drinking, during and for several hours after, and let those around you know that you have diabetes so if you start acting strangely, it may be not that you’re drunk or tipsy but that you’re hypoglycemic.
Physical Activity as a Blood Sugar Management Tool
Exercise is one of the most effective ways to help manage blood glucose levels during the holiday season. Physical activity helps your body use insulin more efficiently and can offset some of the effects of eating more than usual.
Move After Meals
The last thing you should do after a big holiday meal is lay on the couch for long periods of time as this can lead to high blood glucose, and moving after a meal can help keep blood glucose levels stable and manageable. A short 10-minute walk after eating can help stabilize blood sugar.
Being active is your secret holiday weapon as it can help you digest your food better and reduce stress, and even 10 minutes after a big meal helps. Go for a walk with a family member or friend after the meal, play in the leaves or snow with your children or grandchildren, or play a game of flag football in the yard.
Maintain Your Regular Exercise Routine
Continuing your regular exercise routine will pay dividends during the holidays, as staying active, like taking a daily light walk, increases your body’s insulin sensitivity and helps compensate for eating extra holiday calories and reduces stress. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week.
Don’t let holiday busyness derail your exercise habits. Schedule workouts just as you would any other important appointment. Consider making physical activity part of your holiday traditions—organize a family walk, participate in a charity run, or start a friendly game of touch football.
Monitor Blood Glucose Around Exercise
Make sure to test your blood glucose before and after physical activity or as directed by your health care professional, as physical activity can affect people with diabetes’s blood glucose in different ways. This monitoring helps you understand your individual response to exercise and make any necessary adjustments to food intake or medication.
Monitoring and Medication Management
Consistent monitoring and medication adherence are crucial during the holiday season when routines are disrupted and eating patterns change.
Check Blood Glucose Regularly
Don’t forget to check your blood sugar, even in the middle of holiday festivities. Try to maintain your healthy habits by checking your blood sugar as often as your doctor or care team recommends. Staying vigilant about your blood sugar levels is crucial, especially during the holidays—check your levels before and after meals to ensure they remain within the target range, and if you notice your levels are higher than usual, adjust your food intake or activity levels accordingly.
Take Medications on Schedule
Take your medications on time, even if your eating schedule changes. Use alarms on your phone or smart watch to take medications, check glucose and keep mealtimes regular. Setting reminders helps ensure you don’t miss doses during the busy holiday season when your normal routine may be disrupted.
Consider Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems show your glucose levels in real-time, enabling you to see immediately how different foods, the amounts you eat and when you eat them impact your glucose, and show trend-arrow readouts, so you can see where your glucose level will go and can take action to avoid glucose spikes or drops. This technology can be particularly valuable during the holidays when you’re eating unfamiliar foods or larger portions than usual.
Estimating Carbohydrates in Unfamiliar Foods
Holiday gatherings often feature homemade dishes with unknown ingredients, making carbohydrate counting challenging. Having strategies for estimation can help you make informed decisions even when exact nutritional information isn’t available.
Use phone applications (such as Calorie King, Figwee and Cronometer) when estimating the carbohydrate content of unfamiliar foods. These apps contain extensive databases of common foods and recipes that can help you make educated guesses about carbohydrate content.
If measuring cups are not available or convenient to use, use your hands to help you estimate portion sizes. Your palm is roughly equivalent to 3-4 ounces of protein, your fist approximates one cup, and your thumb represents about one tablespoon. These visual cues provide consistent reference points regardless of where you’re eating.
When in doubt, start with smaller portions. You can always go back for more if your blood glucose remains stable, but it’s much harder to undo the effects of eating too much at once.
Managing Holiday Stress and Sleep
The holiday season can be stressful, and both stress and poor sleep can negatively impact blood glucose control. Managing these factors is just as important as watching what you eat.
Prioritize Sleep
Not sleeping enough, especially if you’re traveling or dealing with a time change, can make it harder to regulate your blood sugar. Get enough sleep, as lack of rest can affect your blood sugar. Aim for consistent sleep patterns to support blood sugar control and overall wellbeing.
Make sleep a priority even during busy holiday weeks. Maintain a consistent bedtime when possible, create a relaxing pre-sleep routine, and limit alcohol and caffeine in the evening, as both can interfere with sleep quality.
Manage Stress Effectively
Breathe, take breaks, and reach out to friends, family or your care team if feelings of sadness or loneliness arise. Stress hormones can raise blood glucose levels, so finding healthy ways to manage holiday stress is essential for blood sugar control.
Consider incorporating stress-reduction techniques into your daily routine during the holidays. Deep breathing exercises, meditation, gentle yoga, or simply taking a few minutes of quiet time can help keep stress levels manageable. Remember that it’s okay to say no to some invitations or obligations if you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Traveling with Diabetes During the Holidays
If your holiday plans include travel, additional preparation is necessary to ensure you can manage your diabetes effectively while away from home.
Pack Essential Supplies
Pack diabetes supplies in your carry-on bag, including extra medication, testing supplies and snacks, bringing twice as much as you think you’ll need in case of delays, and keep medications in their original labeled containers for passing through airport security. If you use a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), you can go through security with it.
Create a travel checklist that includes all your diabetes supplies: glucose meter and test strips, lancets, insulin or other medications, syringes or insulin pens, glucose tablets or other fast-acting carbohydrates for treating low blood sugar, and snacks for maintaining stable blood glucose during travel delays.
Creating New Holiday Traditions
Remember that the holidays are a social and cultural part of life, so keeping a balance during the holiday season is important, and making new traditions that do not revolve around food can be a healthy practice for families trying to make a shift and an opportunity to create new traditions that are just as fun and fulfilling.
Making your season about seeing other people, more so than food and drink, will make diabetes management easier—really focus on the first part, not so much the second. Shift the emphasis of your celebrations from food to experiences, connections, and activities.
Consider starting new traditions that don’t center on eating: organize a holiday movie marathon, volunteer together at a local charity, create handmade decorations or gifts, attend holiday concerts or performances, or establish an annual family game night. These activities create meaningful memories without the blood sugar challenges that come with food-focused celebrations.
Practical Tips for Common Holiday Situations
Different holiday scenarios present unique challenges. Here are specific strategies for common situations you’re likely to encounter.
Office Holiday Parties
Workplace celebrations often feature an abundance of sweets and treats that can be difficult to resist, especially when they’re sitting in the break room all day. Eat a balanced meal or substantial snack before the party so you’re not arriving hungry. Survey all the food options before filling your plate, and choose one or two special treats to enjoy rather than sampling everything. Position yourself away from the food table during the party to reduce mindless grazing.
Family Dinners
Large family meals can be emotionally charged, and well-meaning relatives may pressure you to eat more or try their special dishes. Be prepared with polite but firm responses: “It looks delicious, but I’m quite full,” or “I’d love to take some home to enjoy later.” Don’t feel obligated to explain your diabetes management to everyone—a simple “I’m watching my portions” is sufficient.
If you’re hosting, you have more control over the menu. Include plenty of diabetes-friendly options alongside traditional favorites. Consider making healthier versions of classic dishes—for example, using cauliflower in mashed potatoes, reducing sugar in desserts, or offering whole grain alternatives to white bread stuffing.
Cookie Exchanges and Baking Traditions
Holiday baking is a cherished tradition for many families, but it can present challenges when you’re managing blood glucose. Consider baking with sugar substitutes designed for baking, which can significantly reduce the carbohydrate content of cookies and other treats. Experiment with recipes that incorporate nuts, which add protein and healthy fats that help moderate blood sugar response.
If you participate in cookie exchanges, bring a diabetes-friendly option and take home a variety. Freeze most of the cookies you receive and enjoy them one at a time over several weeks rather than having them all available at once. This approach allows you to participate in the tradition without being surrounded by temptation.
Restaurant Holiday Meals
Many restaurants offer special holiday menus during the season. Review the menu online before you go and decide what you’ll order. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about preparation methods and ingredients. Request sauces and dressings on the side so you can control how much you use. Ask for a to-go container when your meal arrives and immediately portion out half to take home, helping you avoid the temptation to clean your plate.
Handling Setbacks with Grace
Even with the best planning, there will be times when your blood glucose doesn’t cooperate or you eat more than intended. How you respond to these situations matters more than the setbacks themselves.
Big meals for holiday seasons get people off their routines, and they will throw in the towel and stop healthy eating altogether, but one bad meal will not ruin all their progress or success—continuing to eat large holiday-like meals may end up leading to health issues like elevated A1C in the new year.
When something goes amiss, not beating yourself up over it is important, and it’s okay to enjoy everything else about the holidays—even though long-term effects of out-of-control glucose are important, too much worry can impact how you’re feeling without helping how the diabetes is doing.
People living with diabetes tend to be fairly hard on themselves and look at it as ‘I did something wrong,’ but while preparation is wise, obsessing about challenges isn’t, and second-guessing shouldn’t overwhelm time with loved ones.
If you have a meal that sends your blood glucose higher than desired, don’t spiral into guilt or give up on your management plan. Instead, check your blood glucose, drink water, go for a walk if possible, and return to your normal eating pattern at the next meal. One high reading doesn’t define your diabetes management—it’s the overall pattern that matters.
Special Considerations for Different Types of Diabetes
While many strategies apply to anyone managing blood glucose, there are some specific considerations depending on your type of diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes
For those with type 1 diabetes, the pancreas can no longer make insulin, and insulin must be given via injection for the body to be able to correctly process the carbohydrates eaten and to prevent the blood glucose levels from becoming too high. Consume an appropriate portion size, with the caveat to provide insulin if that is part of your diabetes regimen.
If you use insulin, work with your healthcare team to understand how to adjust your doses for holiday meals that may be larger or have different carbohydrate content than your typical meals. If you take insulin injections, try and schedule your snacks during your usual meal time and eat a little less when the holiday meal is served in order to keep your blood sugar stable.
Type 2 Diabetes
When a person has type 2 diabetes, the body’s cells are not as sensitive to insulin, which also leads to high blood glucose levels, and achieving a healthy weight and being physically active can help the body become more sensitive to insulin. For people with type 2 diabetes, the holiday season presents an opportunity to demonstrate that lifestyle modifications can effectively manage blood glucose even in challenging situations.
Focus on the strategies that improve insulin sensitivity: regular physical activity, maintaining portion control, choosing lower glycemic index foods, and managing stress. These approaches can help you maintain good blood glucose control throughout the holiday season without necessarily requiring medication adjustments.
Prediabetes
If you have prediabetes, the holidays are an important time to practice the habits that can prevent or delay progression to type 2 diabetes. The strategies outlined in this article are equally important for you. View the holiday season as an opportunity to prove to yourself that you can make healthy choices even in challenging environments. The skills you develop now will serve you well year-round.
Working with Your Healthcare Team
Your healthcare providers are valuable resources for navigating the holidays successfully. Don’t hesitate to reach out for support and guidance.
If you need extra support at the holidays or after, talk with your primary care provider. If you have trouble regulating your blood sugar or want tighter control, you should talk with your health care provider about using the glycemic index as part of your action plan.
Schedule a pre-holiday appointment with your diabetes educator or dietitian to review your management plan and discuss specific challenges you anticipate. They can help you develop personalized strategies based on your individual needs, medications, and lifestyle. If you notice unusual blood glucose patterns during the holidays, don’t wait until after the season to address them—contact your healthcare team for guidance.
If you notice unexplained high or low blood sugar, missed medications, symptoms that worry you or if travel and dosing changes make management difficult, contact your diabetes care provider or local urgent care. It’s always better to seek help early rather than waiting for a problem to escalate.
Resources and Tools for Success
Taking advantage of available resources can make holiday blood glucose management easier and more effective.
Consider using technology to support your efforts. Smartphone apps can help you track blood glucose readings, log food intake, count carbohydrates, and set medication reminders. Many apps also allow you to share data with your healthcare team, facilitating better communication and support.
Online communities and support groups can provide encouragement and practical tips from others who understand the challenges of managing diabetes during the holidays. Sharing experiences and strategies with peers can help you feel less alone and provide fresh ideas for handling difficult situations.
Educational resources from reputable organizations like the American Diabetes Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Diabetes UK offer evidence-based information, recipes, and meal planning tools specifically designed for people with diabetes. These resources can help you make informed decisions and discover new strategies for blood glucose management.
Looking Beyond the Holidays
The strategies you develop for managing blood glucose during the holidays have applications far beyond the festive season. The skills you practice now—planning ahead, making mindful food choices, practicing portion control, staying active, and managing stress—are the same skills that support effective diabetes management year-round.
Use the holiday season as an opportunity to experiment with different approaches and discover what works best for you. Pay attention to how different foods, eating patterns, and activities affect your blood glucose. This self-knowledge is invaluable for long-term diabetes management.
As you navigate the holidays successfully, you’ll build confidence in your ability to manage your diabetes in any situation. This confidence can motivate you to maintain healthy habits throughout the year, not just during challenging times.
Comprehensive Holiday Action Plan
Bringing all these strategies together, here’s a comprehensive action plan for enjoying holiday treats without spiking blood glucose:
Before the Event
- Review the menu or anticipated food options and decide in advance what you’ll eat
- Eat a balanced meal or substantial snack beforehand to avoid arriving hungry
- Check your blood glucose and take medications as prescribed
- Plan physical activity for before or after the event
- Prepare a diabetes-friendly dish to bring if appropriate
- Set realistic expectations and give yourself permission to enjoy the celebration
During the Event
- Survey all food options before filling your plate
- Use a smaller plate and the diabetes plate method (half vegetables, quarter protein, quarter carbohydrates)
- Start with vegetables and protein, then add starches and sweets
- Choose one or two special treats to truly savor rather than sampling everything
- Eat slowly and mindfully, putting your fork down between bites
- Drink water throughout the event
- Limit or avoid alcohol, or drink with food and monitor blood glucose carefully
- Stop eating when you’re satisfied, even if food remains on your plate
- Focus on socializing and activities rather than food
- Check blood glucose if you feel unusual symptoms
After the Event
- Take a walk or engage in light physical activity
- Check your blood glucose to see how the meal affected you
- Drink plenty of water
- Return to your normal eating pattern at the next meal
- Get adequate sleep
- Reflect on what worked well and what you might do differently next time
- Don’t dwell on any perceived mistakes—focus on your overall pattern of healthy choices
Final Thoughts: Balance, Not Perfection
The goal during the holiday season isn’t perfection—it’s balance. You don’t need to have perfect blood glucose readings every day or never indulge in your favorite treats. What matters is making conscious choices most of the time, planning ahead, and responding appropriately when things don’t go as planned.
There’s no reason that people who have diabetes can’t still enjoy their favorite treats—don’t deprive yourself, just don’t go overboard when it comes to calories, carbohydrates and sugars. This balanced approach allows you to participate fully in holiday celebrations while maintaining your health.
Remember that managing diabetes during the holidays is a skill that improves with practice. Each year, you’ll learn more about what works for your body and develop more effective strategies. Be patient with yourself as you navigate this learning process.
The holidays are ultimately about connection, gratitude, and celebration. By implementing the strategies outlined in this article, you can enjoy all of these aspects of the season while maintaining healthy blood glucose levels. With planning, mindfulness, and self-compassion, you can create a holiday season that nourishes both your body and your spirit.
This holiday season, give yourself the gift of balance. Enjoy your favorite treats in moderation, stay active, monitor your blood glucose, and focus on what truly matters—spending quality time with the people you love. With these tools and strategies, you can navigate the holidays successfully and start the new year feeling healthy, confident, and proud of how you managed your diabetes during one of the most challenging times of the year.