It's Too Soon

Have you been in a store lately?  Any store, a department or a grocery?  They are playing Christmas music already!  (Before you answer think about this, try going to work every day and being force to listen to Christmas carols for eight weeks and see how you like it.) It’s bad enough that every store already has Christmas decorations on display and/or on sale.  We haven’t even celebrated Thanksgiving yet.  And for crying out loud, it’s not even winter.

What has happened to our society that we have to celebrate a holiday two months before it even happens?  I’m not a scrooge, really, I’m not. It’s just that when all this stuff starts happening earlier and earlier every year by the time Christmas comes around I’m sick of all the decorations and Christmas carols.  It’s no longer special, just a capitalistic holiday defined by stuff, lots of stuff. 

It used to be that the Christmas season started the Friday after Thanksgiving.  Even that was too soon for me.  Now stores like Wal-Mart, Kmart, Sears and Toys ‘R Us are going to be open on Thanksgiving. I’ve worked retail at Christmas before and my heart breaks for those people who work retail on Thanksgiving.  We have become so consumed with stuff that we can’t even allow people to have a holiday where they don’t have to work and instead can spend a day with their family and friends.

I know the economy isn’t what it used to be and everyone is looking for a deal but have we gone too far?  What is more important, getting 20% of the new PlayStation or spending time with your family?   Think about it if you find yourself in a Wal-Mart on November 28.