'Tis the Season

Sales flyers announce the rapidly approaching holidays, the streets are decorated with garland and wreaths, miniature Christmas trees adore the halls of the shopping mall...and it just feels so odd. It would seem my brain has been programmed to reconcile chilly temperatures and snow with Christmas, twenty-seven degrees and flip-flops do not compute. Oddest of all, the image of Santa Claus remains the same, full red suit with hat and boots. Shouldn't he be in a speedo? I'm certainly glad he isn't, but it would make more sense.