Scentsicles.  That’s what I thought it said when I walked by the sign in the Michael’s Craft store. I have penchant for misreading signs so I walked back to take a look at what it really said.

But that’s what it really said. Scentsicles. I looked it up. It’s a real product. It’s a scented stick you hide in decorations or ornaments to deliver appropriate holiday waftings. I suppose the “sicle” part refers to popsicle or icicle. Clever enough.

I am sorry though, when I saw Scentsicle I did not think popsicle. I thought something else. I am not the only one who thought something else. You don’t want to think these things but sometimes you do.

It’s not entirely my fault. These marketing people have to think these ideas through. Sure it’s a clever play on words but you got to think about people like me. I am defenseless against such acts of ill-thought and ill-fraught word play.

The idea of scenting things up is nothing new. You didn’t need to create such a tantalizing word to sell it.

I’ve been guilty of scenting things up and I didn’t need a fancy word to do it. I remember in high school my friends and I scented up a friend’s car by pouring a twelve ounce tester of Chaz cologne into the heating vents in the dead of winter. If I recall correctly he thanked us with some appropriately themed word play. But they weren’t the kinds of words you used to sell smelly sticks.

Anyway, all I know is I don’t want any Scentsicles shoved in my garlands or wreaths. What would the neighbors think?