Have yourself a calorific Christmas

THE COST of Christmas has been calculated, and it comes to 6,825, writes Tim Minogue.

That is the number of calories, reckons Slimmer magazine, a hearty eater will easily ingest tomorrow over breakfast, a Christmas turkey lunch, and supper, with various snacks, nibbles and seasonal amounts of alcohol thrown in.

The result is that many of us can expect to wake up on Boxing Day some 4lb heavier. "With your seasonal suit bulging at the seams, the good news is that about 3lbs of this weight gain is water, but 1lb is definitely FAT," the magazine shrieks.

Every 3,500 calories over and above the body's normal daily requirement of 2,000 calories is equivalent to another 1lb on the scales, according to the magazine. Its weight loss expert, Claire Crowther, says: "It's not surprising that so many people pile on up to a stone during the long Christmas and New Year period."

Inside Story, page 13