Christmas in August

One of the downsides to growing older is the gradual loss of the spirit and joy of the Christmas season. Remember the feeling of anticipation in the weeks leading up to the day? Remember the list you made and gave to Santa? Remember the raw excitement you felt when you woke up and raced to the Christmas tree not knowing what you’d find? That’s all behind us now. Or is it?

If you’re anything like me, the IPMS National Convention triggers the same feelings we had as children. We anticipate the convention, we makes lists of things to look for among the vendors, and we enter the vendors room not knowing what we’ll find.

But wait. Is that really true? Maybe not.

While the internet is an incredibly rich resource for us, it has the potential of removing the surprises that we would otherwise enjoy at the convention. We go there pretty much knowing all of the manufacturers' new releases, including the cottage industry guys who inevitably announce new releases in the month or two preceding the convention. That’s good for those who cannot attend, but I think it takes away something for those who do.

As of this weekend the IPMS-USA National Convention is less than four months away, so here’s my “ask” of the manufacturers, large and small. In the spirit of 1984 (when I attended my first IPMS Nats), please keep your new releases under wraps until the first day of the Nats. Help bring back that sense of anticipation, excitement, and discovery for those who attend the Nats. Don’t worry, modelers who don’t attend will still buy your stuff!