OMG--it's only 45 days til Christmas

Posted Sunday, November 9, 2008, at 5:32 PM

I ran into the store the other day to grab a gallon of milk. In a hurry and off in my own little world, I didn't realize until I was on my way to the back of the store that I was hearing Christmas carols.

My first reaction was to hum along and then it dawned on me, Halloween was only a week ago. What on earth was I doing humming along to carols when I still had carved pumpkins on my front porch?

Those songs stuck in my head all weekend. I finally gave up this morning and decided not to fight it. I made my first Christmas list of the season. And, in the afternoon I bought a gift to tuck away for my secret Santa recipient, even though I don't know who they are yet.

Later, while watching a Travel channel special, my husband and I saw the German Christkindlmarkt at Daley Plaza in Chicago being featured. I felt excitement as we discussed riding the train to Chicago and spending the day at the German market.

I began thinking about my favorite Christmas gifts and why they were my favorites. I realized that the best gift is one I have been lucky enough to have every Christmas of my life--to spend that time with my family.

Then, it came to me--OMG--It's still three weeks 'til Thanksgiving and my whole family will be here for that day and probably most of the weekend following. And, we haven't finished painting the living room, or replaced the kitchen cabinets yet. Oh, and we have to get the carpets cleaned. We haven't even cleaned the storm windows.

Now, I'm going to panic until everything gets down--I hope they turn that Christmas music off pretty soon. I don't think I'll survive if I have to start planning for Valentine's Day right after Thanksgiving.

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Just because some people like to do their holiday shopping in October doesnt mean they forget about Thanksgiving.

-- Posted by fashionista on Fri, Nov 14, 2008, at 10:34 AM

Why fight it?? I want to get in on all of these great deals!! I know it's all about Jesus and I won't forget that. However, I don't mind taking advantage of the great deals that are coming our way due to this lagging economy either. It won't stay that way forever... I ENJOY buying my family and friends nice gifts and if the retailers want to help me along by giving me more time to purchase these gifts and mark them down, I'm going for it!

-- Posted by bannerstuff on Fri, Nov 14, 2008, at 9:27 AM

I personally find it sad that Thanksgiving is overlooked. Historically, this is a very important holiday in our country's history yet we see it as a bump in the road between Halloween and Christmas. I refuse to shop for Christmas, decorate for Christmas, watch Christmas movies, or even sing carols until Thanksgiving day when I watch "Miracle on 34th Street". (The original version)

-- Posted by Macgyver on Tue, Nov 11, 2008, at 2:20 PM

Well of course not. People make a profit on selling anything...Christmas or not. We can't thrive as a country if there isn't buying and selling.

Christmas (or 4th quarter) just happens to be when retailers can bring in almost 60% of the years sales.

When customers start buying less, the companies have to try harder to get sales in. When you are failing in your job you try harder to get the results you need. It's simply a job. People make money at their job.

-- Posted by fashionista on Tue, Nov 11, 2008, at 10:24 AM

fashionista:

You can put the words any way you like, but it still comes down to someone making money. If they weren't making a profit from selling Christmas merchandiise, they wouldn't be doing it.

-- Posted by cloverlady on Tue, Nov 11, 2008, at 7:34 AM

HelloMcFly-

Brush up on your history. Jesus wasn't born on Dec 25th period.

Christmas has turned into a commercial holiday with no meaning. Just like Valentine's Day.

-- Posted by bobbittle on Mon, Nov 10, 2008, at 7:26 PM

We all know that retailers get ready for Christmas earlier that the rest of would like. This year it seems a little earlier due to the economy downslide. Retailers are afraid they will be left with Holiday merchandise in the middle of spring which means they will have to mark it down and lose margin on it.

Merchandise is bought for the stores almost a year in advance. They already have it for holiday so they push it out to stores sooner in order to give it more time to sell on the floor.

Anyway, Retailers aren't being greedy or trying to make you feel guilty. They just have goals to meet just like everyone else. They are just doing their job. The retailers know there isnt as much money to spend thats why they are giving us more time to buy by putting it on the floor sooner.

As a corporate employee for a retailer I can tell you that all retail stores are pulling out all the stops this so they don't get bogged down with too much merchandise left over after the Holiday.

Just don't buy anything at full-price!

-- Posted by fashionista on Mon, Nov 10, 2008, at 1:52 PM

That was the same reaction I had when grocery shopping on Wednesday. It had only been five days since Halloween, but Christmas decorations were up and Christmas music was playing. The economy is bad, people are losing their jobs, and they have no extra money for Christmas, but retailers will try to make us feel guilty and make us spend money we don't have to spare. It's sad that the season of love and hope has become nothing more than the season of retailer greed.

-- Posted by cloverlady on Mon, Nov 10, 2008, at 6:31 AM

And you fell right into their trap and bought a present, didn't you. They already got you thinking about Christmas before Thanksgiving. Pretty soon they will start putting out the decorations right after Labor Day. Fight the urge people, Jesus was not born on Dec. 25th to be marketed months in advance by retail giants. It is a time for spending with your family, not for spending your money. Fight it people, fight it. LOL

-- Posted by HelloMcFly on Sun, Nov 9, 2008, at 10:46 PM

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Maribeth Ward

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Maribeth Ward began working for a community newspaper right out of college. Within a few years she moved to marketing and spent most of her working life as a marketing manager. In 2006 she came back to her first love--writing. She attended Indiana University and is the mother of three--identical twin daughters and a son. She is also the Nana of three wonderful grandchildren--Matt, Riley and Emma. She and her husband Faril share their home with their cat Sunny and dog Roadie.

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