Blue Carbuncle Day: What are the reasons for this season?

 Here we are, Blue Carbuncle Day 2022.

December 27 is not only one of those rare days that Sherlockian chronologists all agree on (though not the year, of course), but also the day we know that John H. Watson chose to celebrate the holiday season with his friend Sherlock Holmes. We don't dig deep into that fact, choosing to celebrate the events that follow, the commissionaire, the pub, the goose dealer, and 221B Baker Street. Should we dig deeper?

John H. Watson has no kith or kin in England. Mary Morstan Watson has no relatives in England. Both of these facts are plainly stated in Watson's writings. Sherlock Holmes is an important figure in the lives of both members of the couple, and there seems like there is no obvious reason for the trio not to celebrate the holiday together . . . well, no obvious reason. But let's consider some less obvious reasons.

Possibility One: Sherlock Holmes hated Christmas and made it plain in the years Watson was living with him.

Possibility Two: Sherlock Holmes was out of town and back home with his country squire relations and Mycroft on Christmas itself.

Possibility Three: Mary's health was suffering in some way that Watson could not leave her side.

Possibility Four: Watson was ill on Christmas, but nothing so bad he didn't feel better two days later.

Possibility Five: Holmes and Watson were having a bit of a riff in their relationship.

Possibility Six: Sherlock Holmes and John H. Watson were never really that close in the 1880s.

Possibility Seven: Dr. Watson was very occupied with patients due to something going around that winter.

Possibility Eight: The Watsons had a new baby at the time and were very occupied

Possibility Nine: There were an entirely unrelated series of events that was, actually, a very funny story that Watson has in a tin dispatch box somewhere.

Are there more possibilities? Of course there are. But we will surely never know what they are. All we have is "I had called upon my friend Sherlock Holmes upon the second morning after Christmas, with the intention of wishing him the compliments of the season." But that's enough for us to celebrate Blue Carbuncle Day with our Sherlockian friends, or just by ourselves.

So happy Blue Carbuncle Day! And compliments of the season!