Tis the Season

If you are in the Columbus Area, turn your radio dial to 93.3. That is right. Your ears are not deceiving you.

It is that time of year again.

Perhaps it is that one of my favorite holiday characters is green. Or that I have always wanted a dog named Max. Or that on more that one occasion I have been referred to as a Grinch. I really am sorry, but I have a hard time accepting that this tinsel-laden assault comes earlier and earlier each year.

Case in point: A few weeks ago, I took my youngest daughter with me to Home Depot in the hopes of purchasing a cordless driver/drill to begin the process of hanging cabinets in the tack of my barn. Horses need closets too. Our visit to this retail giant was cut abruptly short on account of the fact that the Mickey and Minnie Mouse Mrs. and Mr. Clause display blow up lighted holiday decoration that is larger than my SUV was no longer in Emma's sight. As we turned down the aisle to compare products prior to purchase, she was unable to gaze at this overbearing reminder of the fast-approaching holiday season.

Clearly, this lead to a meltdown. I do not handle meltdowns well, whether they are my own or one of my offspring. Thus, we quickly left the store.

I had wiped this unpleasant experience from my mind until a week ago when I was abruptly reminded of my introduction to the 2011 holiday experience with the grating notes of "Feliz Navidad" stabbing my brain driving down I-270 one evening. Suddenly, my brain was addled by images of flashing lights, chimes, bells, wrapping paper, crowds, hustle, bustle, silver bells, pretty paper, pretty ribbons and on and on and on...

Yes, Bing, I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. Sadly, it's just not like the ones you used to know.