Never Say Never: Holiday Balloon Edition

I've never been a fan of those wanna-be-in-a-parade balloons that spring up in yards as turkeys are carved.  Bigger than life Santas, Snoopies, snowmen, and snow globes line up besides Kris Kringles and Kermits and intermingle with houselights during long December evenings.  Yet,, during the day, these giant deflated decorations lie in colorful heaps on brown lawns like spent party goers recovering from a hard day's night.

Late Saturday, however, I met an adorable reindeer who challenged my feelings about "blow ups"as I shopped in a (non-mall-type) store filled with antique pink-tinsel-trees and rarely-seen-anymore-trinkets (like the Sinclaire dinosaur). Perhaps it was the environment that dredged up memories of my youth, but this fellow was quite the crowd pleaser as he sat with a friendly smile in the shop window. He did not need to deflate until, as his box described, he went into hibernation to await the next season!  If I ever opened a "shop" and needed holiday decoration, I would skip the pink trees; however, "he" would be there!