"Little Black Dress" Season

Is anyone else a bit worried about "Little Black Dress" season? I will have several functions to go to: my work, his work, church & friends...and everything involves food...lots of food. I've lost over 20 pounds in the last eight months, and managed to keep most of it off. I can't wear the "Little Black Dress" from last year because it wasn't "so Little". I'm trying to develop a strategy to survive the holiday season, and enjoy it fully without eating every sweet thing in sight. That's always been my problem...sweet things: chocolates, cookies, candy and cakes...have you noticed they all start with "C"? And, this is the time of year that everyone, even your Mom and best friends inundate you with every form of sugar known to womankind. This is the best and the worst time of the year for me. I love Christmas but I hate my relationship with sweets and how hard it is to refuse them when they are in such plentiful supply where ever you look. Everything about them is so inviting, the colors, the textures and those incredibly delicious smells. If I could have "taste" and "smell" turned off for the next 6 weeks...Christmas would be perfect. I want to be able to get into a "Little Black Dress" and feel wonderful, but I also want to be able to go to these various functions and fully enjoy them without coming away full of guilt because I over indulged, again.

I know the 4 Golden Rules for eating, but in situations like this, I really wonder how well I will do. I know that a lot of nutritionists say that it is OK to indulge once in a while, and that it won't cause excessive weight gain. But, I do worry that if I get back into this indulgent mind set, that I won't be able to get back on track again. I know that January follows December, and it's always easy to start the new year with all kinds of healthy resolutions, but do I really want to put my body through another bout of inflate and deflate? No, I don't , and that's why I need a strategy.

All ideas greatfully accepted. I'm Bettter than Ever...and I want to keep it that way.

Amanda