Christmas spirit

Every year, the Christmas gimmick is pushed earlier. Shops try to sell you the weak excuse of holiday feeling ever sooner. It's only October, but I've already been offered "Christmas soda".

In Norway, to many people my age, Christmas soda is a sort of ironic, half holy ritual that's not to be broken until December. I'm not a regular consumer of gimmicky sodas like that, and drink only such drinks when on occasion I'm offered. Not even every year. On this occasion someone had been out and bought some brand of Christmas soda, which had just hit the shelves for this years season, to have something besides alcohol for those of us who don't drink. Thus I drank Christmas soda. But, isn't it a bit early to sell us on the Christmas branding in October?