The Christmas spirits...

... come in all shapes and sizes.
Here's an overview, gained by means of empirical research in the present metropolis.
1) the spirited spirit
Can often be encountered in the later hours of the day, this time of the year usually around the 10th-12th hour. (I'm talking old times, so don't you look at me like that and exclaim "10 o'clock!!! Ohmahgawd!") In high season (NOW) this specimen is especially easy to spot in and around christmas markets. Don't ask me how I got to know, I just know. So how to tell them apart from, say, talkative spirits (see below)? For once, the spirited spirit almost always exhibits a distinctly colored nose, mainly in the longer-wavelength color spectrum. Also, many individuals appear to be undergoing gravity enhancement, specifically in the chin area, which causes speech to slur (in a continuum from imperceptible to hard-to-miss). However, such spirited spirits may display all sorts of temper, from mildly affectionate to die-hard aggressive. I had the pleasure to encounter one of the affectionate kind yesterday. He was kind enough to even give away one of his three cups of mulled wine that he just got for his daughter, her boyfriend and himself (turned out, that he later gave away his own cup). Nice chap, although communication was a bit hindered by above mentioned gravity boost.
2) the talkative spirit
May come in combination with 1) and is usually quite easy to tolerate and get along with - as long as you have an email address to deal out (never mind that that email account might be full pretty soon again). Btw, that was NOT my account or my initiative (the email thing).
3) the spirit that appears out of nowhere
Not to be mistaken with 1) or 2), this spirit is the kind that you don't even in your wildest dreams anticipate. Nay, even when facing you they don't trigger the slightest premonition of what is about to come. So imagine my surprise, when (while sitting in a café and talking animatedly with two good friends) this guy turns around, faces us and suddenly asks us whether we know about "women soccer". - Well, y...e....ssss. Turns out spirit no.3 is a die-hard fan of the local women's soccer team (which, coincidentally, is really good and plays in the first national league - in women soccer, of course) and he.just.witnessed.them.playing.the.best.game.of.the.season.yet. Duh. And when you compare the men's team with that - they're nothing, those eggheads. (his verdict). So, yeah, you're right. And I'm still wondering how we qualified to be his talking partners in a full café. Maybe we looked so inviting? Or maybe my facial expression of sincere understanding was just too good to be faked? Turns out that my expression code for "sincere understanding" closely resembles the one for "what the heck? I don't get this!".
All in all, I wonder if we were holding an invisible sign yesterday that said "Yeah, please talk to us - all of you have 2 hours to try your luck! First come, first serve. Oh yeah, and don't forget to bring a good any story. Mulled wine appreciated."

Anyways, how are the spirits in your corner of the world? Alas, I'm still waiting for the real Christmas spirit to arrive, but I have an inkling that I felt some of it swish by today. Gotta go and look out for it now... lest I miss it!

Hanna