We’ve started a new tradition in our house. Instead of filling the stockings entirely with candy, we’ve added a bag of 100 calorie packs of the Superberries Aronia Berry Chews to our holiday mix. This has been a fun and much healthier option to the standard holiday fare and it’s been a hit with the nieces and nephews (not to mention our pooch…but that’s a story for another time).
We began this tradition last Christmas Eve during our annual
family white elephant exchange. My gift was meant for fun given my connection
with Superberries and my continual enthusiasm regarding the chokeberry and its
many healthful uses. I also must admit that there was a bit of duplicity on my part
to hook members of my family on the benefits of the berry given the fruity,
sweeter taste of the aronia chew.
To my delight, my sixteen year old nephew drew my package. A
dubious frown crossed his brow as he studied the silver wrapping and shook it
as most teenage boys are wont to do. He studied it once more, and then without further
pause he ripped the paper off the box, opened the top and saw the twin purple
bags gazing out at him.
At first, there was a bit of disappointment on my nephew’s
face even if he wouldn’t admit it gracious as he is. I asked if he had ever had an aronia berry chew. He said
he hadn’t but he had heard the berries were a bit on the tart side. My niece, his
sister, informed him that if he wasn’t interested, she certainly was willing to take them off his hands. (I should
note that she’s inherited a love of everything
gummy from my wife). My nephew declined of course, opting to keep them for
himself more out of spite toward his sister than the fact that he honestly wanted
to try the chews.
I gently urged him to open the aronia chews. At first he
refused, but with a bit of bribery he relented and opened the bags producing
one of the packets. Tearing it open, he popped a couple of the chews in his
mouth. He was a bit hesitant at first and then his eyes lit up in wide
surprise.
“Well,” his sister
stared at him with anxious impatience, “how are they?”
“You wouldn’t like them.” My nephew responded a bit too cagily.
My niece abruptly grasped the bag from his hands with speed
and agility that would make a martial arts master green with envy. She ripped
one of the packs open and quickly dumped the aronia chews into her mouth before
her brother had a chance to react. Her face mirrored his and she immediately
asked if I had more chews with me. I stated Christmas was about sharing and it
was solely up to her brother to share if he was amenable to the idea. My nephew
smiled maliciously, shook his head and held the bags tightly to his chest. He wasn’t sharing! At least until a stern glare
from mom coaxed the seasonal generosity forth and he reluctantly offered some of his “stash” to the entire
family.
Suffice to say, the aronia chews were an instant hit and
this year everyone gets a bag with 10
of the 100 calorie pack Superberries Chews. My nephew will be quite pleased of
course, as he doesn’t have to share this year. Besides, it’s also a great way to
get everyone into a healthier option for snacks and adds a nice boost to the
immune system in the process. What more could anyone want for the holidays?
Happy Holidays to everyone and to everyone a blessed New
Year!
