No, I don’t want to build a snowman

For 15 glorious years, I lived a pretty simple and easy life. I was like any other normal kid; I went to school, played sports, and hung out with my friends. Sure, sometimes the person on the other side of the line at Pizza Post thought I was placing an order for “Allison.” And sure, the occasional substitute teacher would call out “Eliza” or “Elisa” when taking roll. But I really can’t complain.

And then everything changed. It was November 27th 2013 – the official theatrical release, and I didn’t know it yet, but every single one of my future interactions with total strangers was about to be impacted by Frozen.

From the very first trailer I saw and whisper I heard of Disney naming its newest heroine Elsa, I knew I was done for (not to mention the impending boom of new baby Elsa’s). The safe haven of uniqueness in which I’d been living my life was about to be turned upside down by the behemoth that is Disney.

I’m being generous here, but I actually think the very first time I was asked “Do you want to build a snowman?” I found it funny. After that, every other person to ask me that cursed question, for one, wholeheartedly believed they were the first person to come up with that, and two, didn’t exactly get a jolly laugh from the Elsa in question.

I’m being obnoxiously dramatic here (and almost always), but I wasn’t a total bitch to these poor people who were honestly just being friendly. I entertained their Frozen-themed banter and sometimes even wowed them with the fact that my mom’s name is Anna (it is), and sometimes just to mess with them I’d tell them my brother’s name is Hans (it’s not).

Here’s the best part: a month or so ago, a woman asked me if I was named Elsa after the movie. I really can’t decide if she actually mistook my 21-year-old self as a 6 year old named after a Disney character, or if she thinks I was that inspired by an animated movie to legally change my name. Honestly, I don’t even think she knew what she was asking and it probably keeps her up at night too.

While I’ve (somewhat) gallantly accepted Elsa and Frozen as my cross to bear, there is one absolutely unforgivable mistake that people make. Every once in a while, a brave fool will say, “Oh, like the princess!” and this I cannot accept. The gall – nay, the audacity, to belittle the status of her majesty Queen Elsa. If you’re going to bring up Frozen, at least respect Elsa and her title as the Queen that she is.

To be fair, I actually really liked the movie Frozen. I haven’t seen the sequel yet (don’t get me started on the resurgence of Elsa jokes this year) but the first was super entertaining and even pretty inspiring. I obviously loved the fact that Elsa doesn’t need a man to save her and how true power lies in familial love. I also absolutely love my name; I think it’s beautiful, a show of my Swedish heritage, and suits me to a tee. Plus, I’m a huge hit with anyone under 10, which helped me land a few babysitting gigs back in high school.

Even though I might feel like Disney robbed my name of some of its uniqueness, Frozen and Queen Elsa have also sparked countless interactions with total strangers that I’d otherwise never have had. Maybe it’s a TSA agent who’s checking my ID, or the hostess at a restaurant when I’ve arrived for my reservation. The person who points out my name is usually someone I’ll probably never see again, in a setting where one would rarely even engage in a passing conversation. So even though the Frozen jokes might get old, being named Elsa allows for words to be exchanged and smiles to be shared in a fast-paced, often lonely world where those kinds of interactions aren’t always that common.