Now that October has passed on like the ancestors, I am trying to buffer myself against the onslaught of Christmas and all it's shiny, happy, mass-marketing.
Don't get me wrong - I like Christmas, as far as it's a lovely time with family and friends, and copious amounts of special dishes my mother only makes once a year. I celebrate both Yule and Christmas, as my family is primarily Christian, and I have no issues with purchasing a few gifts for my neices (whom I shower with gifts year-round - so really, what's the difference.) My brother and his wife, my parents and I give each other small "stocking-stuffer" items, and instead spend our money on 'adopting' a local family through the Helping Hands program (buying them gifts, a turkey and other food items.)
I also take no issue with a certain (small) amount of snow. It's pretty, and brightens up our dark Winter in the Valley. I enjoy decorating with natural items -some boughs from a neighbour's cedar tree, pinecones, and other cuttings from the garden centre.
What I am trying to hide from today is Walmart.
I shop at Walmart. I'm sorry. But I do. Now, I do buy locally. I support the Farmer's market for the entire season it's open. I buy from small shops and pay extra for local products. But I just can't pay $10.00 for 6 rolls of toilet paper at my corner store. I just can't.
The problem is, that on November 1st - a few short hours after Halloween has ended - the entire Walmart store is filled to the brim with Christmas trees, Santa, Nativity scenes, bright bulbs and glittery snowflakes. And Christmas music. Lots and lots of Christmas music. I do like Christmas music. Just not on November 1st. Or 2nd.
Couldn't we just wait until December? I'm still mourning the loss of October. I'm trying to get in every spare moment I have with the leaves that are left on the trees (of which, there are few.) Can't we just wait a little longer for Winter and reindeer?
I've been spotting Christmas commercials on television for two weeks now. Christmas catalogues have been coming the mail for a month or more. I really don't mean to sound like a Scrooge - but can't we just have a few more days of Autumn? A few more days of pumpkin pies and walks in the falling leaves. Another week of apple picking and the smell of turned-over earth in the garden?
Maybe I should get my Christmas wish in to Santa early...
"Dear Santa - I've been a moderately good girl this year. Please send me more Autumn.
Love Rue."
34 comments:
I know what you mean. but Lowes and Home depot have had their decorations for christmas out already for a MONTH!
I know how you're feeling. Please don't let another precious golden leaf fall!
I cringed at the Holiday commercials already!
I'm just not in the mood for this, nor is my wallet! HO-Hum!!!
Duane Reade had their Christmas decor out side by side with the Halloween stuff. Whatever happened to the good old days when Christmas was Christmas?
Mary
Oh, yes . . . Walmart (*shudder*).
I feel exactly the same! You will not believe me, but our supermarket had decorations going in the far corner in SEPTEMBER and now Halloween is over, (1 day) Their has a explosion of tinsel all over the shop. It ruins my Christmas every time they start a month earlier very year!
I have been hiding from wal-mart as well.
I hear you. Sadly, all my shopping is primarily done in Walmart, and I'll have to go there on Wednesday. I DREAD IT! By the time Christmas even gets here, I'll be singing, "Santa Claus is EATING MY FAAAACE!" I HATE how commercialized the holiday season is, so I'll be wearing my iPOD to not hear the music, and I'll be avoiding the rear of the store like the plague!
I feel exactly like this! I made the mistake of hitting up my local craft store today hoping (praying, really) that they would have a plastic or paper mache skull left from Halloween...
It's like Halloween never happened in that store! Not a pumpkin, witch, or stitch of anything orange is left. If I didn't know better I'd think Christmas was a week away since the entire store is glittery and filled with angels, santas and motorised reindeer.
If Santa gives you more Autumn, can you put in a good word for me too?
"It's the same the whole world over ...." (they even have christmas in Japan and places like that, so I'm told)
I love Autumn! The weather, the smells, all of it is perfect. I just can't bring myself to complain about the 2 months of Christmassy things, though. The whole Christmas feel is pure happiness to me. It did bother me to hear Christmas music in Borders ON Halloween! They could have waited. D:
I am so with you. I keep telling Christmas to back the F off, but it won't. They had decorations in the BX here in Korea by mid-October.
That is just so wrong.
know what you mean... I went to buy stamps today and they gave me Christmas ones,,, had to hand them back and say yea, can I have something else... Thanksgiving is not even here yet.... Love Christmas but it seems to get earlier every year.... sort of gets you out of the spirit...
I agree it is so hard to let go of October, Fall and Halloween for me it is my favorite celebration of the year and this year it sorta whirred right by. I need to promise myself to take time and extend my Fall celebrations.
great post :-)
Amen lady!! I have to laugh because I so know what you mean. I'm not ready for it to be over yet either, and I'm *definitely* not ready for the whole Yule/Christmas shebang yet either. I'm always stunned when I go into a store at the end of October and see Christmas trees. It's like the twilight zone. Do people have so little to look forward to in our society that they have to have Christmas for an entire quarter of the year, or is it just the allure of money for retailers? lol
Agreed!! The sad part is, I know of people who would be pissed if Christmas wasn't being marketed by Nov 1. I think if they had it there way it would start in July. And as long as people buy it, they will push it earlier and earlier.
I am half tempted to keep a list of products being pushed for Christmas on their commercials. Then not buy those things at all. That might get a tad difficult here soon but I am seriously considering it. I can't STAND seeing the commercials already. On twitter it's even worse. Some of the etsy shop owners are pushing their wares for Christmas. I think I may have to announce that I refuse to buy from them if they continue it.
I love your Christmas Wish .... And I know how you feel about the "selling' of Christmas coming earlier and earlier every year! Quite sad actually. It's no wonder that people feel the way they do about any Holiday - a meaningless & empty celebration on which we must spend money in order to be happy (according to merchants). Holidays have become about the "All Mighty Dollar" & nothing else.
I know what you mean! It is crazy that how Chirstmas stuff comes out earlier and earlier. Do you have a Christmas Tree Store near you?? It sells Christmas stuff year-round!!!! I refuse to go in it because I just can't handel how commerical it has become. Down the street from my house someone set up their Christmas stuff in their yard on November 1!!! I can't believe it! What happened to enjoying the moment of now and not worring about the future???
Yes, I am right there with you! I think anything plastc, noisy and brash, and with some crazy price tag should be banned at Christmas time. The original spirit of it all has long been lost by the way side. Religions and spiritual beliefs have been the victim of pop culture since the begining of time. Wait - isn't "pop culture" and "begining of time" like an oxymoron or something -? LOL
The peace and grace of the holiday has been lost, is what I'm trying to say.
What a blessing you guys are that you sponsor a host family for Christmas! That is such a priceless lesson you are giving your neices - the gift of learning selflessness. Your family rocks!
And by the way.... I LOVED the hair on Halloween... I guess I should stop wearing that doo to work on the days I am late and rushed ... :)
It's nice to put a lovely picture to your kind and insightful words. :)
I love it.... (grins- only kidding)
When I was shopping for Halloween stuff at the beginning of October, there was Christmas stuff in the next aisle. It's like the companies think if they don't put it out super early, we'll forget.
And don't get me started on the music. Can we please wait til (at least) the last week of November for the radio to go ALL christmas music ALL the time?! Better yet, let's wait til it's actually DECEMBER!! What a concept!
Eeesh. These folks have no idea what they're missing! Let's just take a sec and enjoy the moment. Look out the window (go ahead, you know you want to).
There. Wasn't that nice? Now how do we teach the corporations to do that?
We all know what you mean! Here we're heading Summer, and eevn though, al the local shops are getting decorated with snowmen, snowflakes, go figure it!!! We're a tropical country and commerce still use this kind of decoration, and I think it always will *sigh*. I'd love to see some tropical Santa around, wearing bermudas and licking ice-creams instead. And yes, there are tons of Christmas music playing out ould in each shop...
I also celebrate Christmas with my family, I think exatly like you, can't see no problem, since for me Christmas is a family party, and Yule is celerated here in June. Lucas strongly believe in Santa, by the way. Still! :o)
Hope you can get a bit of Autumn before Winter knocks on your door!
Kisses from us, thanks for your always lovely words!
I don't think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving. To me, this is still autumn and NYC is FINALLY starting to look like it so I'm still in that mindset. :)
Actually, my family celebrated Christmas too even though we weren't (aren't) Christians. For us it was just a celebration of the season, of being together as a family. I've always loved Christmas decor too - the tree, house lights, wreaths, etc. but we would avoid certain Christian symbols like figures of Jesus and nativity scenes. Angels were okay though.
p.s. oh and Walmart is the worst!! ARGH!! I hate big department stores during Christmas shopping season!!
I agree completely! Autumn is my favorite season and much too short. We don't think about Christmas decor until the day after Thanksgiving.
Walmart is a true pain, but unfortunately for us as well, we are forced to buy certain things there due to finances.
I couldn't agree more. I think Christmas needs to stay in December, with a little bit of snow. But just a little.
I know! Why are people so hell-bent on getting rid of Autumn so quickly? Christmas = December NOT November. It especially gets on my nerves when on the first of November radio stations start playing only Christmas music. Pretty soon, you get sick of Christmas after two whole months of it.
Oh so well said! I am tired of seeing all of the Yule/Christmas in the stores also. We only have really one store here and it is Walmart. This is why I do 99% of my shopping on line. We have just gotten our Fall weather here this week and I am in no way ready for it to be gone. I love the cooler weather, the bright colors and the wonderful smells. It is just so energizing!
(((HUGS)))
It does seem that the mass commercialism of Christmas hits the shelves earlier and earlier each year. I've been joking with my mom for a while now that by 2015, they're just going to leave the Christmas decorations out all year long ;D
I am eager about and looking forward to the winter holiday season, agree that the pressure to spend money on/for it is put on the public far too early. Hopefully autumn will stick around a bit longer for you, sweet dear, I can relate to the feeling of wanting to savour this wonderful season for as long as possible.
Thank you deeply for your immensely kind comments about my Halloween outfit snaps, I appreciate you lovely words so much!
Huge hugs,
♥ Jessica
Aaah yes - I do understand. Completely. And i am wanting just a bit more of Spring until we head into a blazing Summer. Christmas in Summer, accompanied by mass-marketing = So.Very.Wrong.
grrr I hate that too! I felt guilty starting my homemade christmas blog party so early, but homemade gifts take time :P AT least this way I can stay out of the stores more and at home make making gifts!
I know how you feel. I love Christmas myself...but it seems like we just finished last year's celebrations! I have already started on my Christmas art to sell on ebay! But, follow the leader I guess...if the stores are doing it, time for me to it seems.
Great article...and lovely blog.
Karri
Agreed. 110% agreed, in fact.
But, if it makes you feel better, I could send you a little girl named Autumn for a visit. :)
Would that help?
Big hugs to you!
)O(
boo
Oh, yes please - send Autumn! Oh, but then I'd have to have Parker PB too. Ah, you all might as well just pop out here to Canada! LOL!
"Amen" sista !! I have said MANY times how Christmas is my LEAST favorite holiday !! How odd though when I walked into Walmart and saw Xmas decor right next to BATHING SUITS and beach cover ups !!!! Hello !!! I actually said WTF out loud and the older lady by the door SCOWLED at me. But Geez !!! ALREADY !!! I get little enough of Autumn without Big $ taking it away even earlier than necassary !
Well I second everything you've said! You couldn't have hit the nail on the head any more squarely. Why have we come to a point of rushing everything in our lives. No one gets the chance to sit and enjoy life and nature anymore...always in too much of hurry for the next thing. It sometimes makes me quite sad that we rush through our lives like that, when our lives are so very fleeting to begin with. (Sigh)
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