Elmo effect
n.— «People were referring to it as the “Elmo effect” because it got people into the stores way ahead of what is normally seen as the kickoff to the holiday shopping season.» —“Hot-selling US toy Elmo was well-kept secret before debut” in East Aurora, New York International Herald Tribune (Paris, France) Dec. 19, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Sigrin writes from Albany, New York, that she misheard our earlier conversation about the expression shaving yak hair meaning “performing a monotonous, tedious task.” At first she thought we said shaving gnat hair, which she figures is...
Sean in Oneonta, New York, says that when he was growing up in New Jersey, his family would pile in the car and set off on a surprise adventure, whether a short distance or long, and the kids would be told only that they were going on Buxtehude...