Chicken McNuggets and Christmas

I don't know why, but of all other times of the year, Christmas brings with it a craving for certain things. Those of you who know me know that I am rarely parted from my Dr. Pepper. It is a staple at my house. My children tease me mercilessly about being an addict. I actually count the cans before I go to bed and before I leave in the morning to see if anyone has taken any without permission. I am still not sure if that says more about me or about them.

But, during the holiday season, I drink Coca Cola. Yes, Coke is "it" for me in December. I love how it tastes in December. It's so biting and fresh! Actually, I think it's those adorable Santa Claus drawings on their labeling.

Chicken McNuggets are also a hot item for me during Christmas. And although my favorite sauce is Barbecue, I will frequently branch out into such wild things as "Sweet and Sour". There is something about McDonald's Chicken McNuggets that make it a Christmas thing. Maybe it was all those years of getting McDonald's Gift Certificates in my stocking and then going out to shop the big clearance sales with my best friends. We always thought we were so cool, walking to Northland, finding the deals and then hitting McDonald's on the way back to my friend's house. It was even more cool to get to pick out my own lunch and not have to get whatever my mom thought I ought to have. Invariably, I chose Chicken McNuggets. I am certain that it had nothing to do with the wonderful ad campaign they ran for Chicken McNuggets all during the holiday season (with a roaring fire and a very plush looking stocking with McDonald's Gift Certificates (just like the ones I got in my stocking)).

And so it is, that this year, I have discovered that I am a creature of advertising. Half-starved from working to catch up from an entire month off of work and armed with a McDonald's Gift Card, I headed to the drive-thru this afternoon. This year, McDonald's is advertising their McRib sandwich and, despite the fact that I am allergic to pork, I actually considered ordering one. But somewhere inside of me, that little girl with a fistful of McDonald's Gift Certificates said, "No, thank you. I'd like a 10 piece McNugget with barbecue sauce and a medium Coke."

Sometimes the strangest things become holiday traditions.