A Post-Christmas Contest!

Calling all you Amazing Kreskins and fortune tellers out there – let’s see how good your predictions really are!

Today is Wednesday, February 08, 2006. Christmas, as we all know, was 6 ½ weeks ago. We’ve all long since turned off the Nat King Cole songs, (hopefully) sweated off those extra pounds from Grandma’s pumpkin pie, and said, “Holy crap – I spent that much?” every time another credit card bill arrives.

Yep, the holidays are over. Well, for most people they are.

For as you’ll see, some people tend to cling to their holiday traditions, long after they are appropriate. (This being Sioux City, where rationality and sanity are often outweighed by apathy and stupidity, anything is possible.)

This is a photo of the house across the street from us, taken yesterday morning. Notice anything...unseasonably out of place...about their yard decorations?

Yes, by Frosty -- Santa and his little minions are still soaring high in the sky over Sioux City, as they have since old Bubba the Grunting Neighbor hung them up there in early November. Even though Christmas is long gone, Santa remains.

Why won’t he take his Christmas decorations down? He took some of the lights off the bushes, but plastic Santa remains strung to a wire across his yard, where I have to look out and see him every friggin' day. It's getting a little old, people. That's all I'm sayin'.

What gives? It’s not like it’s been 30 below zero around here for the last month – in fact, Sioux City had it’s third warmest January ever. So Bubba has had plenty of nice weather to go out there and take ol’ Saint Nick down. But no. The lazy shmuck seems to think we should all enjoy the Christmas Spirit for as long as humanly possible. It’s Ho Ho Ho – 365 days a year!!!

So here’s my challenge to you: Using the Comments field below, submit your guess of when Jolly Old Saint Nicholas will finally come down. Pick a day, click Submit, and then sit back and enjoy the game.

Now, I will give you a hint: One year Santa was up there UNTIL MAY 1. Seriously. So don’t think this is a contest that is likely to end before Valentines Day. 'Cause it won't.

I promise to keep you regularly informed of the status of Overstaying His Welcome Claus. And if he’s still there when the temps hit 90, I’ll be sure to let you know if there’s been any melting or spontaneous fires that start from the sun reflecting off Rudolph’s nose.

There are no prizes to be awarded to the lucky person whose guess is the closest, but you’ll have the personal satisfaction and pride that comes from being the cleverest kid on the block.

And as for me? I’ll just be thrilled to see the damn thing go away. For at least 6 months.

So bet early, bet often, and have fun.

Oh, and Seasons Greetings.