The War On Christmas...Where Do I Sign Up?

On October 11, I went to the Meijer store in Defiance, and what did I see?

Christmas decorations.

Yes, Christmas decorations. On October 11th.

OCTOBER!!!!

Almost 3 full weeks before HALLOWEEN, for crying out loud. Never mind that one could have bought any of this stuff for half price last December 26.

What's next, tinsel on Labor Day? Reindeer on the 4th of July?

Enough already. You shouldn't be able to buy Yuletide bric-a-brac anywhere outside of Frankenmuth, MI before Thanksgiving.

Don't get me wrong, I LIKE Christmas. A lot. I enjoy giving and receiving gifts. I (grudgingly and in a dilatory fashion) send Christmas cards. I like all the baked goods. I don't even mind going to church at unusual hours for Christmas Mass.

But I'm not ready for any of it in f---ing October.

I'm reminded of a "Sesame Street" skit where the characters pondered what life would be like if it were Christmas every day. The first couple of days were pretty cool. Then the garbage started to pile up. The mail wasn't getting delivered. No work was getting done. Most importantly, Christmas lost its special qualities. I feel like we're at that point. The relentless, inexorable expansion of the "holiday shopping season" erodes the meaning of the winter holidays.

I'd like to get through Halloween. Halloween's not my thing, but I've got no beef with those who enjoy it.

I'd like to give Thanksgiving its due. It's about having a nice meal and spending time with friends and family - not a religious/commercial extravaganza. Shouldn't we be allowed to enjoy that before turning our attention to Christmas?

A "War on Christmas"? No. I've got no use for those who complain about multi-religious holiday displays on public property or kvetch about store clerks who don't say "Merry Christmas."
It's time for a different sort of War on Christmas. It's time to send a message to the retailers - we're sick of the expansion of the holiday shopping season.

DON'T BUY ANY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS BEFORE THANKSGIVING!!!