It's beginning to look an awful lot like Christmas in the sunshine state but it's not the afternoon storms, Moreton Bay bugs and mango smoothies sort of Christmas we Queenslanders are so accustomed to.
This year, the Christmas spirit will be crushed like so many consumed cans of XXXX as the three Queensland based A-League clubs look to establish themselves in the second instalment of that most unofficial of contests - The Cane Toad Cup.
For those that missed my coverage of the cup last season it can be found here and here. Below is the final table that I strangely neglected to post last season (apologies for that oversight).
As you can see Gold Coast United managed to take the title despite North Queensland Fury's two upset victories while Brisbane sadly sat at the foot of the table with only a solitary victory.
But things are different this year for the newly indefatigable Brisbane Roar, right? Well, actually no.
You see, the warts and all beauty of the Cane Toad Cup is that interstate results are completely irrelevant. So much so that as of the moment Franz Straka's Fury are in first place courtesy of their goals for record, a stark contrast to their position on the A-League table proper.
Have a quick look at the current standings to see how topsy-turvy things really are north of the border.
Of course the above table is likely to change markedly over the festive period as Brisbane Roar contest back-to-back derbies and make up their game in hand.
In the first of these encounters my beloved orange and maroon travel to tropical Townsville for what many, your humble blogger included, predict will be an easy three points for the now Reinaldo-less Roar.
Sure, in North Queensland's last outing they managed to take the spoils against Sydney but that really isn't saying much. Fury may play with passion, as demonstrated by the group hug following Ufuk Talay's fortunate free kick mid-week, but they are still far from finals contenders and should pose little threat to a rampant Roar.
As such, that match will be the perfect lead-in to what will be the more evenly contested of the two games - the Boxing Day M1 derby against Gold Coast United.
Or as I have chosen to dub it, the El Cane Toad Clasico.
To be clear I am using the term "el clasico" ironically since some borderline delusional fans insist upon referring to Brisbane as "Roarcelona" and United will be wearing their all-white, Real Madrid inspired away strip.
Also, the original Gold Coast expansion bid was dubbed Galaxy which according to my substandard, grade 7 Spanish is close enough to El Galacticos to bolster what is, I admit, a rather tenuous comparison.
Sarcasm aside, Brisbane fans will be keen as proverbial mustard to finally beat Gold Coast United and what better time to do that than on the anniversary of what was the club's most painful defeat of last season - a 5-1 drubbing at Skilled Park.
Hopefully, Brisbane can even live up to the cringeworthy Catalan comparisons and perhaps put away five goals of their own.
It's the type of Christmas present Roar fans won't mind waiting the extra day for - so feliz navidad amigos and viva el clasico.
