I know lots of people hate the fact that Christmas stuff goes up earlier and earlier in stores every year. I happen to love Christmas, so this has never really bothered me. Any excuse to get the holiday started should be celebrated in my book. But even I was taken aback this past weekend when I rounded the corner of the Halloween section in Target and was met head-on with an entire row of Christmas lights and animated lawn reindeer. Mildly annoyed, but mainly delighted, I took the light display as a cue that it’s never too early, and I might as well take advantage of the toy sale going on two aisles over. Never you mind that this means I have to spend two extra months hiding said toys… the $10 savings was worth the potential security breach, right? (And yes, I know that the sinister marketers at Target knew I would do exactly that. Sneaky bastards!)

Later when we got home, I forced my family to watch ELF and cried at the end when the cast sang Santa Claus is Coming to Town, even as our boxes of Halloween decorations sat unopened in the other room.

It was wrong, I know, but it felt so right.

Merry Christmas everyone!