Feel lucky?

The holiday season has come and gone. As we put away the Christmas decorations, send the kids back to school and head back to full work weeks once again, one glowing holiday sight promises to linger long after the end of the season like a forgotten campaign sign in the snow.

We all expect gasoline prices to take a jump during the heavily-traveled holiday season, and they did. Gas prices hovered around the $3.19 per gallon mark for much of the season, as oil companies hit us with what appeared to be the annual Ebenezer Scrooge maneuver at the pumps.

It’s extortion, so it seems, but it’s neither unusual nor unexpected.

But wait. The holidays are now over, but prices at the pumps remain high. In fact, it’s been years since gas prices have lingered above $3 per gallon for an extended period of time.

Based on what oil officials and industry experts are saying about the near future of gas prices, motorists should be glad to be paying less than $4 per gallon right now. The worst predictions see gasoline prices rising to $5 per gallon by 2012.

All signs point away from any relief at the pump. The last time prices hit $4 or more per gallon, the nation was busy spiraling into an economic quagmire.

Now that the “recession is over,” those in the gas and oil industry say demand is on the rise. Not only is demand for gas climbing in the United States, it is apparently exploding in Asia.

To make matters worse, there are now tougher drilling restrictions in the U.S. in the wake of BP’s disastrous Gulf oil spill last year, and hence, higher prices are being put on precious oil.

When oil companies were gouging consumers with $4 per gallon gasoline – citing various reasons about supply and demand, and explaining why market conditions required oil to carry a price tag of more than $100 per barrel – they all ended up turning in record profits.

So now that the economy appears to be slowly turning around, with consumers buying more cars and spending more money, it’s supposed to be inevitable and justifiable to make gasoline prices skyrocket.

And until they truly spike at an outrageous price, we’re supposed to feel lucky about $3.19 per gallon.

It’s a new year. Please, give us a break.