Remember When Christmas Started After Thanksgiving...

EricC28201 · ‎11-21-2023

There haven't been any topics of a vaguely generalized complaining nature lately so I thought I'd throw one out there just for the halibut...in case anybody feels like blowing off a little steam.

I work nights and do a bit of driving as part of my job. I've noticed more and more businesses and even private homes already have their christmas lights up and turned on at night. Most of the stores didn't even wait after Halloween, they just replaced the Halloween promotions with Christmas promotions.

Is (or maybe should) Christmas be coming earlier and earlier every year? I remember when nary a trace of Christmas regalia could be found before Thanksgiving.

DaveMcK · ‎11-21-2023

There is an old saying by peddlers that you can not sell from an empty wagon.

So when lawn furniture, garden items and lawn mower season is over you have to put the next seasons goods out so you do

not have empty shelves ( Wagon ).

I spent 9+ years working in retail. I know all about empty wagons.

Posted by Dave the Lighthouse Keeper

Tempest332 · ‎11-21-2023

I've seen store displays up as early as mid/late September, this has been going on for years. I went into a free standing Sears (remember them?) on September 24th, about 30 years ago, to exchange a broken Craftsman tool, & their Christmas floor Display was already up. (it was Provo UT, and it was in the '90's that day)

I know that Sept 24 has been beaten since, I can't remember where. Big Lots puts their Christmas displays up very early.

On the other side of the coin, the last time I had a tree up (2006), it stayed up till St Patrick's Day, & I did light it every night I was home. For those of us that live up in the nasty weather, we can call it a "seasonal tree", what's the point of putting it up for a week or 2, if we had the room and can be enjoyed, the winter is really depressing (& some are going to live out our years here). I have a neighbor across the street that keeps hers up year round, I no longer celebrate the holidays (Thanksgiving included) but it's such a pleasure to look across at it.

EricC28201 · ‎11-22-2023

Thank you for your perspective @Tempest332 . I tend to procrastinate when it comes to taking down the Christmas decorations.

We don't get the long night (or the long day for that matter) where I live. What we get between the months of Feb. and Jun. is a sort of temperate monsoon season. The skies can remain overcast for months on end (literally literally). I find during these periods that it is helpful to turn on an extra light wherever I am...except the car. And add 10 or 15 minutes to the daily Walk.

Just to be clear, I'm not equating this experience to living through the long night year after year. Just relating experiences when I've found some extra lighting helps boost the spirits.

Tempest332 · ‎01-12-2024

Noted last weekend they are putting out Easter displays out at a couple stores.

Tempest332 · ‎11-22-2023

My lighted beer signs now light up my dining room year round. (would any woman put up with that?).

Great topic Eric. Kudos to those who choose to leave your decorations up throughout the winter, or all year, Seasonal Lights!

KellytheBelly · ‎11-21-2023

It's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' alright.

My birthday is on December 1st, and we have a tradition of putting up Christmas decorations on this day -- this is when Christmas begins in our home. I was rather shocked this year to see Christmas lights up and down my neighborhood, (as you said,) right after Halloween. My favorite radio station started playing Christmas music right after Halloween. Rather shocking, and seemingly twisted, if you ask me (don't ask me).

Yet, does it still hold true, that Christmas doesn't actually begin until we see Santa, his sleigh, and 2 tiny reindeer come down 34th Street in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? 'The parade ends at approximately noon, and concludes with Santa Claus welcoming the city to the start of the holiday season.'

Honestly, it's beginning to look a lot like... consumerism. And, if we take the bait, we'll be celebrating Valentine's Day in December. And that's messed up!

'Santa can take his fat butt back to the North Pole until December,' I say!

(see image below -- been reposting this I think since 2015 😉 )

EricC28201 · ‎11-22-2023

Just had another thought along these lines. The Catch 22 is:

If we take the bait then the folks who set the bait will get carried away with the 'opportunity', say they can't stop now and blame us for taking the bait in the first place.

Kinda comes back to there being little or no difference in the behavior of a society with a mass production/mass consumption economy and an individual afflicted with an unmanaged substance abuse condition.