Looking for something to watch on TV, one evening, I scrolled through the movies I had saved on my set-top box recorder. At the bottom of the list were two Hallmark Christmas movies: A Bride for Christmas and Eloise at Christmastime.

What was I supposed to do with these? Who watches Hallmark Christmas movies in January?

The weeks before Christmas, I become a child again and I give myself permission to shut out reality. I don’t listen to the news. I sing silly songs about reindeer and Santa Claus. I eat too much, drink too much, and look forward to the annual Hallmark Christmas movies.

My business plan for December can be summed up in one sentence: I’ll take care of that after the holidays.

With cookie crumbs covering the front of my sweater and a cup of tea getting cold on the table beside me, you can find me dozing through most of those Hallmark movies. It doesn’t matter because all the plots are the same; only the scenery changes. At least no one gets killed, nothing explodes, no one curses and everyone lives happily ever after. You can’t even say that about some Disney children’s movies these days.

It now being January, though, how can I sit through a movie like Eloise at Christmastime with a clear conscience? I have people waiting for their W-2s and 1099 Misc forms.

No more good cheer, folks. When January rolls around, the holiday is over! Pack up the decorations, dump the tree at the curb and listen up: there’s no one singing, “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow!” in January. It’s time to diet, sober up and pay those December credit card bills.

My husband tries to bring me back to reality by asking, “Do you think we can get started early this year with our taxes?”

“Don’t rush me! There’s plenty of time,” I tell him. “I still have two Hallmark Christmas movies left to watch.”