Christmas Balloons

I was shopping the other day. When I came to the checkout, I looked up at the balloons. Most grocery stores now have balloons tied to the lane light as an impulse item. There are usually 'Happy Birthday', a smiley face, and the obligatory holiday balloon. I've seen all the holiday balloons - at least, I thought I had. The usual suspects are St. Patrick's Day or Valentine's Day, though I don't know anyone who wouldn't club someone for getting them a balloon for Valentine's Day. I don't like chocolate, but a balloon?

So, glancing up I see the balloons. They are Christmas balloons! I was shocked, stunned, something other than curious...

I have never seen a Christmas balloon. I don't even know how to process that information. I don't think it's sacrileges. I don't think it's neat. I simply do not know what to make of it. Balloons don't fit with Christmas. Sure, plenty of things have found their way into the Christmas holiday. Maybe, the first time someone put up blinking lights, it threw someone else off.

For some reason, those two things cannot exists as a merged unit in my brain. I love balloons. I love Christmas. It's been two days and I still find myself stopping a few times a day and saying, 'Christmas balloons?', aloud.