During the holidays, I made it a point to catch up with friends and family. As usual, once you get past the formalities of “How you been?” “Are you ever getting married again?” and “Have you lost/gained weight?” and a few beverages, come questions about work.

And this year, ironically, as most of us were sipping from the iconic plastic containers, discussion inevitably lead to the Toby Keith smash hit “Red Solo Cup” — with polarizing results.

People either love it or they hate it, with no in between.

The tune was penned by brothers Brett and Brad Warren and Brett and Jim Beavers, as a jokey ode to the red plastic cups, famous at parties and tailgates.

When it got to Toby, he told Alison DeMarcus of “CMT Insider,” “I said to myself, ‘This is stupid, but it’s freakin’ awesome.’ It’s like you’re almost embarrassed to say that you like it. And I love it.”

Apparently, others do, too, with nearly nine million hits on YouTube since its mid-October video release.

Not too shameful for a tune that Beavers says “has no drums and was recorded in one take on one mic by nonprofessional musicians.”

Featuring cameo appearances from comedians Jeff Dunham and Carrot Top, sports legends Larry Bird and Roger Clemens, and singers Eric Church, Sammy Hagar, Ted Nugent and a bubble bath-taking Joe Nichols, the catchy sing-along video is in a frat party type-setting, and some of the lyrics reflect that type of atmosphere.

“Taste of Country” writer Billy Dukes gave “Red Solo Cup,” from Toby’s “Clancy’s Tavern” album, four stars out of five, saying, “It works because Keith makes no effort to pretend this is anything but a simple and stupid ditty.”

On the other hand, critic Jim Beal named the tune one of the “Worst Songs of 2011,” saying, “As if disposable plastic cups didn’t have enough problems during the greening of the USA.”

Yet, the TV show “Glee” featured the novelty song on an episode early last month, and Toby himself put out a “Christmas” version of the video, featuring Santa Claus in various scenes.

K99.1 FM Operations Manager Nick Roberts calls it “the feel-good holiday song of 2011.”

As for the Solo Cup Company, sales are obviously benefitting from the homage.

Just try finding the darn things on store shelves! Recent ads pushing the new square-bottomed version feature a red cup with the slogan, “Let’s Have a Party.”

Whether you’re a lover or a hater — I myself can’t stop singing it, and I turn it up loud when it comes on — no worries.

“Red Solo Cup” will no doubt go the way of most novelty songs, and eventually will be heard mostly during bachelor parties and at tailgates.

But, here’s hoping it’s here to stay, because “Red Solo Cup, you’re not just a cup. You’re my friend.”

Maybe I should find some new ones, huh?

Contact Nancy Wilson, a morning-radio personality at WHKO-FM (K99.1), by email through k99online.com.