I typically steer clear of anything smacking of Christmas cheer before Thanksgiving. I do my best to avoid holiday displays in the stores until after the Thanksgiving turkey leftovers have filled my fridge. I ignore collecting recipes for Christmas treats and eats before I've enjoyed my Thanksgiving cranberries and pumpkin pie. And Christmas tunes of any sort are absolutely forbidden on my stereo, car radio, iPod and any other musical device until Thanksgiving evening, at the earliest.

Yes, I do my best to resist anything that upsets the order of my holidays.

My resistance to pre-Thanksgiving Christmas cheer dissolved immediately, though, when...