Holiday hype is like sex, you have to get in the mood

The Globe and Mail:

I’m beginning to believe in the Ho Ho Hump – that point in the preholiday hype when one gives in and embraces the festive season.

I’m convinced that there is such a thing. It’s just that some canny retailer has yet to devise an annoying ad campaign about it. (There’s always time – just under four weeks to be exact – so don’t feel too relieved. Yet.)

You succumb to the tinsel brigade. You can hear the jingles in Canadian Tire and not want to head directly for the exit. You can look at those SUVs with the wreath strapped to the front grill and the perky soccer mom at the wheel, and not wearily sigh at the in-your-face (and in your rearview mirror) gung-ho-ness of mirth. You smile in gentle acceptance – and even genuine happiness.

You have acclimatized to the ubiquity of fake Santa Clauses. You find yourself thinking about the stuffing for the turkey without resentment.

Oh, I know that the world seems to divide at this time of year between those who eagerly jump into the preholiday run-up, like a golden retriever into a lake, and those who are dragged into it, paws firmly planted in the sand. (There’s a reason there are all-year-round stores specializing in Christmas decorations, after all.)

But for many, it’s about getting in the mood. And just like sex, sometimes it takes a little bit more than a point-blank demand.

Read the whole story: The Globe and Mail