Page 10 DeeDee Davis, Contributing Writer
Where has this year gone? It seems like only yesterday that I was packing the ornaments to go back into storage and here I am schlepping all of the boxes back out again. Well, I schlepped them in October as I like to decorate and have time to actually enjoy the results. Nothing screams Christmas like early October heat and hurricane season. Once upon a time my husband expressed serious concerns about my timeline for decorating, but those days are gone. True, he has gotten used to Halloween décor by Labor Day and Christmas by Halloween but that is not what changed things. Hallmark changed things. When he first got hooked on the Hallmark Christmas movies, there were only a handful of them played repeatedly through the month of December. Now, however, there are something like 4000 of them and they go fulltime 24/7 by, go figure, October! I was way ahead of my time. So now he enjoys the movies, surrounded by lovely Christmas decorations. Additionally, my husband has
most of our family addicted to the channel as well. He also takes manly fishing trips several times a year where he and his friends go deep into the swamps or everglades or rivers or whatever water they decide to conquer. We are talking limited technology in these remote regions. His friends are doomed. They leave for the trip with all of their gear, talking trash about the fish, you know the drill. And guess what? They come home trying to act normal, but they have this texting network going on because they all were exposed. To Hallmark. They compare notes on the characters (Yes, Candace Cameron Bure is their darling) and curse the villain, because every one of the movies has one. They even act as if they don’t know how the movie will end. It’s very suspenseful. Lovely girl has a jerk for a boyfriend. Her work requires her to go at Christmas time to a place with a name like Evergreen. While there she enters gingerbread contests, gets flour smudges on her face, stands under mistletoe and takes a hayride and falls in love with a local guy and they live happily ever after in Evergreen. There is usually some drama while she is in the town and this is when it really gets good. Most nights my husband starts the waterworks about this time. Yes, tears. Not like sobbing or anything, but sniffly emotional cant help
himself tears. This took me some getting used to. I was so surprised at first because this is just not like him. Now, however, the only surprise is when he doesn’t require a hanky. And he’s not alone. The second the movie is over, his phone starts beeping like crazy because his “network” is all checking in to debrief about the “film”. I kid you not. I will not name names in order to protect the guilty but the Hallmark phenomenon is far more prevalent that you would think. And I am right in there with them now. I have my own favorites as they have several that involve a Royal. Now these are the real deal. Girl goes to Europe and falls in love with a guy who turns out to be a Prince. There is always a gala involved with beautiful gowns and a perfect ending. Sigh. What’s not to love about a story like that? Real life includes far too much… reality. Aging issues, ugly politics, children with their own crises, health scares- what the world really needs is a heavy dose of Hallmark. And, evidently, plenty of people feel the same way. They now have not one, but two channels, and they have movies all year long. To think it all started with simple greeting cards and now we have a multi gazillion dollar business- all created to play on emotions, sentimentality, and love of
holidays. What a country. And while Hallmark may have set the stage, Publix isn’t far behind. Have you seen any of their holiday ads? I can’t even get passed a 30 second spot without a lump in my throat. Soldier comes home for the holidays. College kid comes home and instead of going out with his friends, has pie with his mom. Pie! They know just what resonates. I hope that every one of you have a lovely Hallmark, Publix kind of Christmas and that you get to spend it with people you love. Take time to check out the magnificent lights in downtown Pensacola and take a Winterfest trolley tour. Enjoy the beautiful shops along Palafox Street and check out the old and the new restaurants that are popping up (and thriving!!). It’s our own version of the Evergreen experience and is every bit as good. Merry Christmas!!
Opinion piece: the views expressed in this article are solely of the writer and not representative of Pensacola Magazine 10 | DECEMBER 2021
