Jinked

Since 2007 when Persona 3 came out—which I know wasn’t that long ago at all—I’ve been playing it every year since around the holidays. I’ve never finished it; I think part of me doesn’t want to. This year I picked up the game smack dab in the middle and made it to the beginning of October, which is the farthest I’ve been yet. There’s something about this game that makes me always think of Christmas.

Maybe it’s because of the tree with the Dr. Seuss ornaments and seizure-inducing lights in the background. Maybe it’s the smell of pine wafting in the air while I play or the fuzzy socks I would wear when I’d curl up on my recliner. Maybe it’s because I would blast the battle music in my car while driving to the store to buy presents. I don’t know. It’s most likely all those things.

Funny how I can listen to “Master of Tartarus”  in the middle of July and suddenly smell scotch tape, a smell I have always strongly associated with the holidays.

I used to read The Dark is Rising at this point of the year. It was a tradition I made up when I was in high school. Now I just play Persona 3, wrapped up in a zip-up sweatshirt, surrounded by lights and smells and homemade candies. An air of familiarity.

I still have yet to take the plastic off Persona 4. What should I think of that?