Oh Christmas Spirit, Where Art Thou?

I’ll admit that I’m currently struggling to get into the Christmas Spirit, despite the Herculean efforts of the radio stations that have been playing Christmas music nonstop since early November. This really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, however, since I’m a guy, and guys aren’t required to get into the Christmas spirit until Christmas Eve, when they do all of their shopping, if ever. Still, I wouldn’t be against it if it happened to me a bit earlier.

I think a lot of it has to do with there being no snow yet here in the Twin Cities. To me, brown, wilting grass just doesn’t scream out Christmas the way that a good old fashioned U.P. blizzard does. Heck, I don’t think it’d even be enough if Santa himself was outside mowing it. (“How did this happen? I thought I had elves to do this kind of stuff! I never should’ve have let them unionize!”)

Sadly, I'm still not feeling the urge to watch It’s A Wonderful Life, which is a must for the Christmas season. This is because it’s the only place where you can not only see the worst special effects in terms of angels conversing with each other ever, but also where you can watch a 38 year old Jimmy Stewart play a man roughly eighteen years younger than that. (“For Christmas I’d like a new hip and a hearing aid.”)*

I guess I could try and force the issue. For example, I could eat more candy canes, which would still have its benefits even if it didn’t get me into the Christmas Spirit. Or I could put up my tree. Or I could walk around saying “Ho-ho-ho” until somebody called the cops to take me to a mental rehabilitation center. Still, none of that seems right. The Christmas Spirit is a fickle thing, and it isn’t going to hit you until it’s good and ready to. So, until it does, I’ll just have to, as they say, keep on keeping on.

Plus, you never know. Maybe I’ll get run over by a reindeer soon. If that doesn’t do it, then I don’t know what will.

*Despite my smart alec attitude, I do dig this movie.