Losing weight is a common goal among makers of New Year’s resolutions, but several delicious obstacles are about to hit the Camellia City in a major way.

As per the nearly century-old tradition, the Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama will soon begin selling their famous cookies in the Butler County area.

The two-month period at the start of each year serves as an extended Christmas of sorts for cookie enthusiasts everywhere, beginning with the scouts taking in-person orders from families, friends and neighbors at their homes and offices.

This year’s lineup of cookies include shortbreads, thin mints, caramel delights, peanut butter patties, peanut butter sandwiches, lemonades, thanks-a-lots and the newest edition, cranberry citrus crisps, each selling for $3.50 per box.

Meghan Cochrane, director of public relations and marketing for Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama, said that while the organization’s cookie sale is the largest girl-wide business in the world, the true beneficiaries of the program are the scouts themselves.

“The girls get some of the proceeds of the cookie sales and they go on trips together,” Cochrane said. “Sometimes, it’s a fun, educational trip to the Explorium.  Some have been to the Space Center in Huntsville, and others have been to Washington, D.C.”

But Cochrane added that while it can be difficult to see beyond the immediate advantages of being served with appetizing treats, the cookie sale offers less tangible benefits to the scouts that often last a lifetime.

“The cookies are yummy and everyone loves buying them, and the girls have a blast selling them,” Cochrane added. “But while they sell them, they also learn lifelong skills, like goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics.  So it’s kind of like a little business for them.”

For those who miss out on the in-person sales, customers can still look forward to their favorite brand of cookies being sold at booth sales beginning Friday, Jan. 31, where troops will set up in front of local businesses and shopping centers throughout Greenville.

Though the businesses in question have yet to be determined, those interested can contact the Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama office at (334) 272-9164 for more information later this month.

There is also a cookie booth locator available from the organization’s website at girlscoutssa.org that points visitors in the direction of the nearest cookie booth.

Similarly, those with iOS and Android devices can download an app to accomplish the same goal.

The 2014 Girl Scout cookie sale ends March 2.