Thread: Christmas overdose....

So, I understand retailers stocking up on Christmas items early (early-bird shoppers, etc.) but I think the appearance of holiday decorations is getting earlier each year. I have neighbors who have had holiday lights up for over a week now...and the town I live in had the holiday lighting ceremony this weekend (there is a large, round rock mesa in the middle of town - thus the name Castle Rock - and there is a illuminated star permanently installed on the top...along with radio antennae and a flag...for the holidays, they light up the star) and they have the holiday lights already installed on the streets. To add to this list of baffling behavior, I have a neighbor who has an Autumn wreath on the door, pumpkins on the porch.....and a Christmas tree in the living room.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I think one holiday should pass before decorating for the next one......

"Oh, honey...a gift for me!"
"Yes, my love."
"Oh, you remembered Valentine's Day.....(opening goft box)....oh, what's this...firecrackers and an Uncle Sam hat?"

There have been people in my neighbourhood who have had their lights and trees up since before Halloween!!

Don't have my tree and lights up yet. Next weekend maybe, but I will admit 95% of the christmas shopping is done.

Ugh, my wife is setting up our tree tonight. Too damn early for me, it gives me a headache just looking at it now.

I just finished putting up my exterior lights, and I don't see anything wrong with it. Thanksgiving is this week, we are gone all next weeked, and then we are in the holiday season. I can't do it during the week, and the weekends are already filling up with parties and family gatherings. Seize the opportunity and put the lights up.

Matt

I'm really not a fan of Christmas, or, I should say, I'm not a fan of what Christmas has become. Perhaps it is still a deeply religious holiday to some, and perhaps it is about family to others (Even if it is about family, why not get your family together on a different day? Why a religious holiday?), but it seems that for far too many people it is simply commercial.

I may just be overly cynical, but when I see lights up early, the commercial aspect comes to the front of my mind.

Since I know this can be a touchy subject (I avoid these conversations with my mom), I want to wrap this one up by saying that I mean no disrespect to anyone at all. These are just my views, and I feel comfortable sharing them here. If I have offended anyone, I apologize; that was by no means my intention.

These folks don't just have the lights up (that can be a pain)...they have them on...for over a week now...with trees, deer, etc.

It isn't even Winter yet...it is still Autumn.

Regardless of your religious views, Christmas is a Winter festival, Thanksgiving is the celebration of the Harvest. It seems we Americans have merged them.

If I put up a tree (if I am not traveling for the holidays), it will go up no earlier than December 6th (St. Nicholas Day) and stay up until January 7th (Orthodox Christmas). Usually, a 9 foot one. Real, cut-in-the-woods trees only, BTW. I just wish I had a real fireplace instead of a gas one...it's like watching your water heater...no crackle, pop, or nice wood smell.

i'm not religious but for me Christmas is a family holiday that is a tradition. my family has never gone overboard with presents or decorations but we do enough. most of my gifts are usually practical things my parents know i will use. i really enjoy this time of year because i enjoy my family. that is it. presents are great but i usually buy what i want or need anyways (within my means) so if they weren't there i wouldn't mind.

that being said i think christmas should get 1 month at the most, December. not november and december as that seems strange to me. me dad always said we wait til Dec 1st at the earliest to put up the tree and decorate and usually it was about a week later then that. luckily we don't do the christmas lights thing so that wasn't an issue.

Good food, family, my dad and i play a good 2 hours of foosball, how can you beat that?

Here the situation with Christmas is better, but slowly becoming worse.
My family are ones to put up the decorations on the 24th - it is a nice family occasion.
What is bad for me here is the occurrence of many other celebrations - in Britain we have mothers day - here we have mothers, fathers, childrens, grandparents, names and womens day and every other day in which they can celebrate - this of course comes with a certain obligation to buy presents, which I think is a little too much - These celebration are especially weighted toward women and the flower shops must make a killing. Here it is still not so much commercial as a family celebration but I can forsee that it will change. They are also adopting many other western traditions such as valentines day and halloween which aren't part of their culture.
Forgive me but I am a real humbug and although I like Christmas and other celebrations I can't help but see the twisted nature of what should be a good time. People have just lost the real meaning of many of their traditions.

One holiday at a time please. I think it is obsurd to see Christmas junk on the shelves three days prior to halloween. I can understand making preperations for the coming holiday while you have the chance, hang your lights get your stuff out of the attic and into the garage where you can get to it. I can see the idea of getting ready, but not having it up in full swing just to beat the Jones's. Really in my neighborhood that's what it is. A huge pisting contest between all the people on the block. Who cares, Not I. But at the same time I highly encourage having Family traditions and Celebrating the holidays. Thanksgiving is no less important than christmas, but we don't have Thanksgiving lights. Each in their own turn I say. Give the lights and trees and trimmings a rest til it gets close enough to enjoy them without getting sick of them. Half of winter is spent as the christmas season these days, and by the time its done with I hate christmas, can't wait for it to be over. All the same to each his own. I love Christamas.