It’s that time of year, peace on earth and good will toward man rings throughout the stores and soon everyone’s mailboxes will be overflowing with greeting cards and holiday well wishes from friends and relatives you likely don’t talk to any other time of the year. According to the Hallmark movie channel, it is not only the time of year of magic, peace and happiness; it’s the new season of love.
The past few months I have heard countless people complaining how Christmas has overtaken both Halloween and Thanksgiving by way of premature sales and holiday decorations. Why is no one complaining about the fact that cupid seems to have gotten his chubby little paws all over everyone’s candy cane?
Hallmark and Lifetime have had the nonstop market on holiday films since before Halloween. It seems every movie is the exact same and yet we still keep watching. Girl is in a bad relationship and drives her car through some holiday themed town like Holly, Nebraska, and her car breaks down. Left stranded and alone, a studly rugged tow truck driver who is also the town’s bad boy comes onto the scene to save the day. Snow randomly falls and people start caroling and she reforms the bad guy, falls in love, breaks up with the crap boyfriend she left behind and everyone lives happily ever after.
It. Is. The. Same. Plot. Every. time.
What happened to the Grinch and Rudolph? What happened to Santa eating cookies and playing with elves? Why is Valentine’s Day the new Christmas? And more importantly, why can’t we stop watching?
Is it the fact that Christmas brings out the inner desire of all of us to have someone to kiss under the mistletoe or the fact that there are few things in the world as depressing as waking up alone on Christmas morning?
I am here to tell you, look around. The love is already there. You won’t find it in Holly, Nebraska, or on Candy Cane Lane, but in the hearts of those around you all year long. Cupid needs to step off and let the holiday magic work for itself.
If you happen to find yourself singing carols with the town roustabout and fall in love, please send me a letter when the snow starts falling and he proposes to you beside the manger in the middle of town. Otherwise, this holiday cynic will be tuning out and sticking with Charlie Brown and Frosty. I will see you in a couple of months Cupid; please wait your turn.