The first few weeks after quitting smoking can be the hardest--especially in the middle of the holiday season. There are some special strategies to help ex-smokers celebrate the season, while not giving in to the urge to smoke.

• Be a host. Consider hosting the family dinner to keep your mind occupied--shopping and cooking will certainly help. Even if you would rather be a guest this year, consider making a special dish you can take with you.
  
  
• Don't overindulge. The first feast of Thanksgiving is usually a kickoff to more than a month's worth of parties and dinners, and it can spark a tendency to overindulge. Be aware of how much you are eating and drinking; it's easy to give in to temptations. .
  
  
• Stay away from alcohol. Stick to club soda, nonalcoholic punch, or apple cider. This will curb the urge to light up when drinking and will help keep off extra pounds. .
  
  
• Avoid spicy and sugary foods. These tend to enhance the cravings for cigarettes. Also, nibbling on low-calorie foods, such as carrot sticks, apples and others will satisfy the munchies without putting on extra pounds. .
  
  
• Stretch out meals. Eating slowly and pausing between bites will make the meal more satisfying. For dessert, grab a tangerine or pear, or crack nuts--something that will keep the hands busy.

• Parties may give some people jitters. If you drink alcohol, ice up and water down the drinks. Always choose a nonalcoholic drink first. Keep busy at parties by playing bartender, serving snacks and meeting guests to keep your mind off of smoking. If the urge to smoke presents itself, put something in your hand other than a cigarette. .
  
  
• Ease into the holidays. Now may be a good time to take up hobbies that keep the mind and hands off cigarettes. Making Christmas gifts, stringing popcorn, inventing new ways to wrap presents, working puzzles, and going shopping in smoke-free environments may help. .
  
  
• Treating yourself to something special for staying smoke-free is a good reward. As a celebration of staying quit, consider giving yourself that special something you've always wanted. .
  
  
• Waiting to the last minute to shop may make you frustrated and leave you wanting a cigarette. When you're ready to lose control-don't. Take hold of yourself and start a conversation with someone in line next to you, take along a book or catalog to look through while waiting, or enjoy that new cassette on your portable tape player.

Here are a few basic strategies that have helped smokers kick the habit:

• Stay positive. After waking up each morning, make the promise you won't smoke a cigarette that day. .
  
  
• Picture success. Plan ahead and think of how you'll deal with stressful situations without turning to the usual crutch of a cigarette. .
  
  
• Take a breather. Relaxation exercises can help relieve the urge to smoke. Take a deep breath, hold it for a second, then release it very, very slowly. .
  
  
• Remember, urges to smoke are only temporary. .
  
  
• Work out. Exercise, like swimming, running, and racquet sports, helps relieve tension and the urge to smoke. Exercise will also burn off those extra pounds you may have gained from holiday feasts.