WHAT'S THE RUSH?

WHAT’S THE RUSH?

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.”  I agree.  I love the Christmas season, even with the crowded stores and incumbent traffic and parking nightmares.  What I don’t love, though, is the Christmas season beginning in September.  What’s the rush?  I understand “‘tis the season” that makes or breaks a retailer’s year, but I don’t want to see Christmas decorations popping up next to the Halloween candy at the start of the school year.

I remember when I was a kid many (many, many) moons ago, that the Sears Wish Book came in early September.  The day I came home from school to find it had arrived was a great day, indeed.  I’d open it up to the toy section and spend hours, not to mention countless sheets of paper, making and refining my Christmas list, but that was as far as it went.  Our decorations didn’t go up until December.  Now it’s all rush, rush, rush.  I heard a couple of days ago that they’re playing Christmas carols on the radio.  First week of November?  Seriously.  I love Christmas carols, too, but if I listen to them for two straight months I’ll wind up hanging myself by the chimney without care!  And just why are ‘Frosty the Snowman’ and ‘Let it Snow’ considered Christmas carols anyway?  But, I digress.

Some years ago, after my wife and I started our family, we began what has become a family tradition of putting up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving Day (after dinner).  When we first started doing this, I’m sure people driving by our house thought we were nuts to be decorating so early.  Now, however, plenty of trees are up before ours.  We see them when we’re out and about.  It’s as if Thanksgiving has become an afterthought, especially with the recent announcements from some stores that they plan to be open all day.  I guess it’s more important to these businesses to sell a few things than for their employees to spend what is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, family holidays with their families.  My guess is, if people couldn’t shop on Thanksgiving, they’d just buy whatever they want another day. 

I understand it’s all about the bottom line, the almighty dollar.  But, can I have my Thanksgiving before I’m inundated with Christmas?  Please?