Before I even begin I feel like we all need to have a moment of silence because yesterday the Oxford Dictionary officially added “selfie” as a word.
Welcome to our future, America. A world where we’re in debt to China beyond all reason but it’s all good as long as we document ourselves pulling through the Sonic drive-through to get a Route 44 Diet Coke.
Personally, I would have chosen “champipple” to become a real word. The champagne cocktail favored by Fred Sanford. But, like most things, no one asked for my opinion.
And while I’m giving opinions no one has asked for, here’s another one. Dear Stores of America, you need to settle down about Christmas. It’s going to happen. December 25th comes every year and Americans will open their wallets eventually to buy all manner of Christmas gifts. But can we please have a minute to just enjoy the holiday of the turkey?
I felt it the day after Halloween when our neighborhood shopping center immediately had two giant Christmas trees flanking the entrance and green and red garland everywhere. And I knew it when Gulley ran into Santa Claus at HEB on November 9th and had to tell him to go back to the North Pole. But I really noticed it yesterday when I was out running errands.
My first stop was Target. And, granted, I brought it upon myself since I willingly walked to the back of the store to look at all their Christmas decorations. In my defense, it was only because I know they’ll be out of all the good stuff by Black Friday and I wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything I couldn’t live without.
(There wasn’t. Although they did have some really cute stockings.)
And then I ran in several other stores that were all playing Christmas music. Which, fine. I enjoy the Christmas music but it was 92 degrees here yesterday and so I kind of felt like Frank Sinatra was mocking me as he sang “Let it Snow”.
But the killer was when I ran in Michael’s to look for some paint for a project Caroline is working on. Here’s what I need to know. Who decided that the overwhelming scent of fake cinnamon is the official fragrance of Christmas? I became so carried away with the sheer amount of decorations and disoriented from my faux cinnamon smell induced headache that I almost put two light up reindeer with moving heads in my cart before I came to my senses and remembered that P and Caroline would probably just use them for target practice.
I ended up leaving without buying anything because I was in desperate need of fresh air. And that’s when I walked over to Whole Foods and saw a whole selection of live Christmas trees for sale. Did I mention it was 92 degrees yesterday? All those things are going to be good for by mid-December is firewood.
And even poor Santa was already sitting in his Santa house. In a red velvet suit. No one wants to sit on Santa’s lap when he stinks from sweating in his Santa suit all day.
And here’s the thing. I love Christmas. That chunk of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas brings me some of my happiest memories every year. But it’s also nice to take a deep breath that doesn’t smell of manufactured cinnamon and think about turkey and dressing and cranberries and broccoli rice casserole and all the things we have to be thankful for without being interrupted by a giant light-up Santa that says “Ho, ho, ho”.
It’s a marathon, Santa Claus. Not a sprint.
And I’ll be ready for you. A week from Friday.
Um. The Salvation Army bell ringer was out today & wished me Merry Christmas. For real.
“No one wants to sit on Santa’s lap when he stinks from sweating in his Santa suit all day.” Best line EVER!
I will not be at my house the day after Thanksgiving. And I had a fleeting thought of putting decorations up today. Thankful that the thought disappeared as quickly snow in Hawaii.
Last week I went to the outlet mall with Ellie. It was about 9am, and as I’m walking through, I all of a sudden see Santa sitting in his chair, all by himself. He was reading a Christmas book. There was no line whatsoever. For about 3 seconds I considered getting her picture taken with him since there was no line… however I decided not to because 1. Thanksgiving has not happened yet 2. She was in a horrible mood and I knew she would scream 3. This was not a particularly successful morning in our household and she was basically in pajamas and her hair was not brushed. We’re not ready for you, Santa!!
Preach it sister! It really is just all to much.
Amen, and Amen.
Amen and amen…
My boys are appalled at the Christmas decorations already gracing the grocery store parking lots and lamp posts around these parts. The other day my 6 year old said, “Mommy, why are they already decorated for Christmas? They aren’t even celebrating the true meaning of Thanksgiving.” Out of the mouth of babes.
AMEN!
Could not agree more!
I pulled up into our neighborhood Walmart last week and they had trees for sale in the parking lot!!
I audibly gasped loud, like I had run over a shopper!!
“I came to my senses and remembered that P and Caroline would probably just use them for target practice.” -HILARIOUS! : )
I can’t BELIEVE they had live trees out in Texas!!! I’m in Canada – near Toronto, and we don’t have snow yet, but the chilly weather is upon us, and there is not a live tree to be found. I We’re long past Thanksgiving, so I guess it makes a little more sense here to start Christmas – there are some lights up on our street already.
Our next door neighbors started decorating the exterior of their house on Nov. 15th! November 15th. Heaven, help us.
My preference is to decorate in mid-December and to not take down the decorations until Epiphany.
Where is the sense of joyful anticipation, of waiting for the Season to unfold?
And, poor Thanksgiving.
Anyway, thanks for the post.
Blessings!
up here in Alaska, we decorate outside early, like early Nov, to help us get through the ever shortening days. the lights make it more bearable. We all traditionally leave up the lights until the second week of March—after the Iditarod race and that’s when the days start getting noticably lighter.
No Santa sightings or Christmas music yet!
Soooo…if all the stores open on Thanksgiving, then doesn’t Black Friday disappear? The stores were pretty much all open by midnight last year. I noticed that by mid afternoon on Friday, all the parking lots were nearly empty.
I enjoyed the fun of Black Friday. Searching out the best deals in the ads that came with the newspaper on Thanksgiving, barely sleeping and rushing to get in line at 5 am….ON Black Friday.
Amen to that! It was 85 degrees here yesterday which is ridiculous and our radio stations have had on Christmas music since the first of November. I would like to enjoy one holiday at a time. I think my husband might need some pointers from your daughter on shooting. He has yet to shoot a deer this season. Bless it.
I agree wholeheartedly, although I’m happy that the shops haven’t suddenly tried to monetize Thanksgiving with light up lawn turkeys or something equally ridiculous.
Watch this be a thing in 5 years. (shudders)
I am sad to tell you that in GA yes, we do have those inflatable turkeys about 4-5 feet tall for people’s yards. Unbelievable. And, as you said, ridiculous.
I also like to wait until December to decorate for Christmas. We used to always get our tree around the 15th when I was a little girl. It was so exciting … that meant only 10 days until Christmas!! I guess little children now have six WEEKS to wait until Christmas when their families put up the tree so insanely early.
It’s a thing in PA. I get to look at TWO huge, tacky inflatable turkeys, complete with a so-called “pilgrim hat”…one next door, and one across the street. *shudders*
Alas, I saw a big blow-up lawn turkey just last week….. the SAME day that I was at the mall and saw Santa at his North Pole workshop taking photos with little kids. I about had a heart attack right there by Macy’s. Thanksgiving is getting pushed aside which is really sad.
AMEN!!
I don’t remember where I read it, but recently someone had a blog post about being intentional in (what is supposed to be) this season of thankfulness. That really stuck with me. I’m staunchly anti-decorating before Thanksgiving, but that’s always been more out of a sense of “good grief with the Christmas stuff on October 30, Michael’s” than taking the time to be thankful. So, I’m trying to be intentional this year.
Also, the irony does not escape me that we gloss over being thankful and go straight into gimme-gimme-gimme for Christmas. Le sigh.
If we were on Facebook, I would be hitting the “like” button. The pressure to consume! And BTW, good call on putting back the prelit reindeer. You’ll thank yourself later.:)
Amen sister!
Last night, I went to a restaurant to get our take-out order. By the front door, sat a little scarecrow-on-a-stick jabbed into a potted plant, with pumpkins and a Halloween sign. Right below a Christmas wreath. Let’s pick a holiday, people. As for me and my house, we will enjoy Thanksgiving until Thanksgiving is over. THEN AND ONLY THEN will we start the Christmas proceedings.
Can I hear a BIG amen?…But hey, people follow the sales and the hype like dumb sheep. They might reconsider all this foolishness if we weren’t so eager to follow…
Amen! Perhaps this (and countless years working retail) is the reason I dislike Christmas so!
Amen. Commercialism arrived at the point beyond ridiculous years ago. It is a sad display of where culture has gone.
Thank you for the rant…
my family and friends are tired of me muttering “it’s NOVEMBER, people!” as the santa, wreaths, muzak all have been on display as if Dec 25 were next week.
in one horrid store the decorations were up a week before Halloween; I had to ask the manager why.
reply – the store looks nice and people get impulsive to buy before they’re too busy. told him it de-sensitized and cheapened the season, and i wouldn’t be back. told him more and more of my Christmas budget goes to charities, who offer great gifts, because of retailers like him.
hopefully, in a bless-your-heart tone of voice.
we are having a “concrete thanksgiving” out in a parking lot, to share with the many homeless of Houston. praying for us, as consumers and a nation.
I am with you. Thanksgiving isn’t a big enough profit for the stores, I guess. But it remains one of my favorite holidays! My Halloween decorations are still not put away, and those green and red containers will see dust till after my turkey day. And yes, I will leave up my lights till the tree dies or Feb 1st arrives. Those winter months need a little cheer!
AMEN SISTER!!!! I feel so sorry for Thanksgiving…really, I do!!! Happy Turkey Day!!! Gobble till you Wobble 🙂
I blogged this very thing last week. MAKES ME NUTS! Why can’t we celebrate the holiday in the same month? And on the subject of the Oxford adding THAT word. . .I begged for OED when I graduated with my English degree…and it was all great until I flipped open and saw words like THAT. I get that our vernacular evolves…but isn’t that devolving. I mean c’mon–TWERKING!?!?
Our neighbors were out decorating for Christmas on Halloween night. I know they confused some tricker treaters. But they are strange regardless; they recently turned their riding lawnmover into a “four wheeler” complete with KILLER spray painted on the side.
Well said Melanie, well said.
I am so with you! I just about died when I saw my neighbors on their house, two weeks ago, putting up Christmas lights. I love Christmas, but can we at least wait till the day after Thanksgiving?
It is so very nice to see that others feel like I do. I have several friends that already have put up their Christmas trees. Christmas is by far my favorite time of the year but Thanksgiving is a special time too. Everyone is always in such a hurry to move on to the next event. God has blessed us so very much it is so important to take the time to be Thankful for all that he does.
I’m with you! I wanted to get some mums to put in urns in my living room to brighten up the place for Thanksgiving…all they had were poinsettias! Who is going to buy poinsettias now anyway? Nuts! (By the way, I love your blog and your podcasts! I look like an idiot walking around my neighborhood, laughing my head off, but what the heck!)
Amen Sister!
Yes! Christmas is my favorite holiday, but I prefer to enjoy Thanksgiving first. I thought about decorating for Christmas this week b/c I’m expecting baby #3 very soon, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Instead, I’ll haul my giant pregnant self up to the attic and bring some boxes down…and open them after Thanksgiving.
gosh, have your hubby do that schlepping!
Yes, I agree. I love Thanksgiving and would love to celebrate it first before the Christmas race starts.
This is the best anti-Christmas-craziness post I’ve read. I do almost all my Christmas shopping online because I just can’t handle all the noise and smells and crowds. The stores have managed to suck all the joy out of it. I love Christmas and the time spent with family, and I try to focus on what matters most during the season.
I had a little rant about this last week (and last year) brought on by all the Christmas tree posts on Instagram. Why do so many people have their Christmas trees up the first week of November? Why do they think it is okay to let their Christmas crazy out for the world to see? I just don’t understand it. As a sweet reader commented, you have to respect the bird.
You are the best – love this!
LOVE. IT. Amen, sista! The cinnamon is a killer! I have a hard time thinking about Christmas before Thanksgiving. I think it’s an OCD thing for me or something? Like, things need to go in order for me. Although, Thanksgiving is late this year which means I won’t have much time to prepare but I do good with a little pressure! Right?… Love ya. Mel!
I have been trying to get the word “smaggem” in the dictionary for, well, years. I was told that enough people have to use it before it makes it in. It is a very small quantity. Try using it. You’ll love it. 😉
Amen Sister! “Here’s what I need to know. Who decided that the overwhelming scent of fake cinnamon is the official fragrance of Christmas?”
Amen, and amen.
And can I just tell you that I love that you mentioned broccoli rice casserole?! A cheez-whiz-y staple at all holiday meals in our family since the beginning of time : )
And all God’s people said
AMEN!
I’m in Michigan and it is cold here. Today the 40’s and tomorrow the low 20’s, they say. But never the less, it is supposed to be cold in Michigan in November, December and all the way thru February. I want to celebrate the many things and people I am thankful for this year and not think about Christmas until next month.
OMGosh Melanie! CAN NOT agree with you more. It is ridiculous how the stores start so early forcing Christmas on us. I am all for celebrating the turkey too, and taking the time to give thanks for the past year. Happy Thanksgiving Melanie! 🙂
I went to Hobby Lobby this morning to get stuff for tomorrow night’s craft at church. I wanted a Thanksgiving craft. All their fall decor is already 80% off, and there was not one crafty item to purchase. Oh, and I feel ya on the heat – I live in Houston and have been swatting mosquitoes the past few days. One of my favorite pictures from last season was taken at our community Christmas tree lighting. My daughter was talking to Santa – he was wearing shorts, a red t-shirt, and had a Buc-ee’s big gulp size cup sitting next to him on the sleigh.
“Champipple” The genius of Redd Fox. I love it!
Oh, that Michael’s smell! It is a total turn-off. I can conjure it up now, along with the foggy headache that it brings.
Amen! And may I join you on that soap box? I love Thanksgiving, but it seems every year it becomes more and more forgotten through the commercialization of Christmas. However, Christmas music…hmmm how I love them. I don’t think that squeezes anything out. I don’t know too many Thanksgiving tunes…
Amen!
See Ann Voskamp’s blog for today. And tune into her live webcast on Thursday at noon!
AMEN!
Last week I was trying to find some of those colored leaves to scatter on my dining table for Thanksgiving dinner as well as napkin rings. TJMaxx said ALL their Thanksgiving items went on sale the day after Halloween! Give me a break! No luck at Target! Then one sales girl suggested Party City and there they were. I love Christmas as much as the next person but come on! And while I’m at it, I will boycott all stores that open on Thanksgiving! THERE IS NO NEED FOR IT!
Right On!! My neighbors have both Halloween blow ups and Christmas lights up right now.. With all this pressure to get on board with Christmas, it’s a confusing time for everyone!
Autumn is my favorite season and Thanksgiving is my favorite Holiday hands down and I refust – Re. Fuse! – to put anything Christmas up until at the soonest the day after! Things have gotten seriously out of control and it seems wherever I go lately I feel like I’ve entered “Stuff Mart” (VeggieTales) and I can’t get out fast enough! Too much Marketing sometimes is just… well… too much! Oh – and I may or may not have cried just a little when I read that “Selfie” is now in the dictionary. Sweet Jesus…
I couldn’t agree more! I have always loved Thanksgiving because it’s family, food & fun without the pressure of decorating and presents. So can we please enjoy the day and give thanks for our many blessings before we are knee deep in Santa/reindeer/other annoying yard ornaments?!
I agree! I give a pass to Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, et al, that sell supplies for Christmas decorations, because some people craft those and they probably need to get started early. But, the rest of the Christmas decor before the Thanksgiving turkey is even being thawed . . . bah humbug!
I hear you sister! When I was growing up way back in the 60’s, the anticipation of everything was half the fun. Now it’s up so soon that I get tired of it by Christmas.
“No one wants to sit on Santa’s lap when he stinks from sweating in his Santa suit all day.” –love that too. TOTALLY agree with everything you said. Of course, due to the nature of their homemade crafting business and folks like me that can’t whip up a cross-stitched 11×13 picture overnight, Michael’s has had Christmas stuff out since at least July. But it is ridiculous. You know who I really feel sorry for? All the folks that work at these crazy stores that are going to be open on Tgiving day now. They won’t even be able to enjoy that day with family. I started out in retail and Christmas season was HARD. But taking away Tgiving Day has got to be awful.
Sorry people! I will not be adding any of my $$ to the profit of your company! I hope you get compensated well for working on a holiday! And I do hope that, if not a week from Thursday, then sometime very soon – each of us stops to be thankful for something. Because most of us have a lot to be thankful for. I know I do. This blog, and you, Melanie, are one of them. You make me smile. And that is a gift! Thank you! 🙂
No more Black Friday? Could be in the near future. My daughter works in retail. Her store will be open. Sad. I had more fun the day after Christmas. But now? Not so much. Sales starts way before, really no point. Also, a lot of people go on line now. Like some of the comments, there was a time when you looked forward to the count down to the holiday. Mmmmm I think I need to watch my Peanuts holiday specials. Very meaningful.
P.S. My neighbor put up his Christmas lights today. In Phoenix.
Thank you for this post!!! I can’t bring myself to do anything Christmas related until we get through Thanksgiving. Even though Thanksgiving is a bit late this year, I refuse to rush it. But I’ll make up for it by leaving out the Christmas decor until Jan 1st 😉
Also – thanks for your podcast with Boo Mama. My house has never been cleaner as I now have motivation to keep scrubbing as I listen while I work!
Amen! Shout it from the rooftop!!
I swear to you that Christmas ads started running at 12:01am on November 1st, which to me is still technically October 31st. I had a panic attack earlier this week that I was behind on my Christmas shopping. I actually went out and bought some gifts and then, HEY WAIT ONE MINUTE! We’re not even mid-way through November. I still have Halloween candy in my dining room.
I completely agree! Christmas is quickly looking like a manufactured holiday(similar to valentines day) & it makes me sad!
That was so well said I think I will print it out, put it on a t=shirt and walk around with it on my back.