‘Tis that glorious time of year when Christmas music, decorations and festivities inundate our otherwise drab, cold and lifeless region of earth.  What does this mean for all you shoppers in the next couple of weeks?  A lot of stress, frustration, money, and possibly a bright smile and a “Merry Christmas!” from yours truly…

Let me explain.

I’ve become fascinated with the reactions of other people in various situations.  Part of it stems from my lack of self-consciousness, over-abundance of self-confidence and insatiable desire for self-amusement.  Ordinarily if I have your attention I will try to get a real conversation out of you – you know, containing things that aren’t just meaningless chit chat.  But alas, people are reluctant to stray from their bubbles, even if those bubbles are decked with boughs of holly…

Please don't spit in my face...

So, this time of year, as I compete with others for the perfect expression of holiday materialism, I try to do what Santa would do, and wish random people Merry Christmas’s.  How do they react to this, you ask?

Usually with horror, if they react at all.  Last year at the mall my sister the hipster and yours truly wished a Merry Christmas to 25 people each.  Most didn’t respond, despite our cheerful fervor, while others took their own holiday grumpiness a step further by making some sort of face to show their disgust/distaste/horror/resentment/etc.

I’d estimate that we got about a 15% return on our Merry Christmas, with 15% more of “You Too” or “Thanks.”  The balance, the other 70%, were either cold stares ahead or cold stares redirected to us through both startled and hostile eyes.

I’ll never forget the young, probably 8 year old, boy who crossed paths with me as I exited Bath and Body Works in Towson.  I looked down at him, smiled, and wished him the very best Christmas I could.  He looked up at me as if I was the holy ghost himself, terrified, shocked and certainly NOT having the merry time I had hoped.

How could it be that “Merry Christmas!” would have such an effect on these people? They don’t hear, don’t acknowledge, and certainly don’t welcome it.  It just seems like way too many people are walking around in bubbles impenetrable by anyone, regardless of their intentions.  Everyone in your life was once a stranger, so you might as well smile back, right?

Yet, onward we will go, and the squad this year will expand to wish more mall patrons a Merry Christmas.  At the very least, my Christmas will be more merry because of it, as I will thoroughly enjoy the interactions, be they good or bad.

Hopefully pepper spray isn’t on anyone’s wish list as I assault the public with kindness.