Annoyed that Christmas Starts in October

[Jonescatnj]

Please don't think I'm a Scrooge but I'm really getting irritated by how early the stores try to get us to start Christmas shopping. I enjoy giving and getting gifts but I don't enjoy the pressure put on me to buy, buy, buy. On top of that, I don't want to be tired of Christmas before Thanksgiving rolls around. In my ideal world, everyone would wait to celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah or whatever winter holiday the day or week it was meant to be celebrated on. The holiday would focus on the meaning of it all and a time for families and friends to share the spirit.

I think that's why I love Thanksgiving so much. I plan a huge meal, invite our families and we spend the day relaxing and enjoying the time together. Nothing is rushed and we get to think about what we're thankful for. It would be nice if that feeling would linger, however, the stores have many of us rushing out the door early the next morning to "do battle" with other shoppers, stuffing our carts full of as many bargains as we can find. By the way, I've never gone out shopping on Black Friday as I don't enjoy the pressure and the bargains don't seem that great compared to the hassles.

As the days grow shorter in December I think it's a great time to make hot chocolate and bake yummy cookies and other treats. I also like the decorating but usually wait until the week before Christmas to do so. It seems more meaningful to me and I enjoy the decorations while they're up. They don't look old and tired to me Christmas morning.

Despite my best efforts though I get caught up in the hysteria of shopping and find myself frantically trying to find the "perfect" gift for my friends and family members. In January I have to face a horrendous credit card bill that will take me months to pay off. I think the gifts will have long been forgotten by the recipients long before they're actually paid for. Something is wrong with that.

And, don't get me wrong, I understand that the church was trying to combat the stores' commercialization of Christmas but did they really need to put out a Nativity scene the first week of November?

Sigh... perhaps I'm just becoming a grumpy old lady before my time. But I really would just like to get off this crazy ride the stores have us on and just enjoy my holidays the way they're meant to be spent.

[AndreaRUJuiced]

Nov. 10, 2009 at 10:32 PM

I agree... I like having Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas... this year at Halloween there was already Christmas sections. To me it really takes away from the previous festivities...

[jax81]

Nov. 11, 2009 at 4:17 PM

I feel exactly the same way!  We're having a few families over for Thanksgiving this year and a few days after Halloween I went to Target, thinking to buy a few Thanksgiving themed items, but no.  There was the discounted Halloween stuff then there was Christmas stuff, apparently Thanksgiving doesn't exist anymore?

[Betsy858]

Nov. 11, 2009 at 5:19 PM

Please do not get mad but the stores know how to play with our minds. But they can not make you feel and buy stuff early. We fall pray to all the commerciallized stuff. For me I shop all year round and my tree is all ready up. Its because I want christmas longerthen a day. I walk around stores and sometimes many of times I walk out with nothing. I enjoy the xmas dislays and the music livens my heart.Stores need consumers as its their bussiness and they try to tug on your heart. But we are stronget then our emotions . We can enjoy christmas decorations in stores and choose to enjoy the experience and be merry.

[ColtsFan1912]

Nov. 11, 2009 at 5:56 PM

i agree. when i went back to Indiana in June for my wedding, HobbyLobby had Christmas stuff up already. Argh

[kiralyn]

Nov. 12, 2009 at 2:33 AM

it has always annoyed me, but this year i was glad for the Christmas stuff to be out. my dh is in afghanistan, and you have to mail christmas packages by nov. 13 for them to get there in time. so, it was great to be able to get all of that Christmas stuff early.

[RNsteph]

Nov. 12, 2009 at 8:12 AM

I completely agree - I did not like seeing Halloween in one aisle, and Christmas in the next.

[livewell]

Sep. 29, 2010 at 11:49 AM

And this year, in one dollar store I passed by, the Christmas stuff was up BEFORE the Halloween stuff. Well written post, and I look forward to reading more.