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11.13.2012

The Post in which I rant about Christmas

Here I go again. 
Another rant about Christmas decorations coming out too early.
Each year my tolerance for this goes way down.
Exhibit A:
I went to Target on October 29th to get a few last minute items for our Halloween Party. 
To my surprise, the Halloween Isles were pretty much gone because the North Freaking Pole had arrived.
NOT OKAY.
 Fast Forward a few days later when I went to the Mall to get a birthday present for my niece.
And, there he was. 
SANTA. 
AT THE MALL.
On November 2nd.
Look at this guy wearing shorts. It was like 90 degrees out. Not Christmas weather!!!
I don't know why all of this bothers me so much.
Each year, I tell myself not to get annoyed when Christmas stuff comes out before Thanksgiving, but I just can't help it. 
Especially because I feel like each year, Christmas comes earlier & earlier.
And, today, I was at Walgreens (which was playing Christmas music and totally decked out with Christmas decorations.) I heard a little girl, who was either 3 or 4 say to her mom, 
"Did we already have Thanksgiving? All the Christmas stuff is out"
 If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know I have "rules" about Christmas.
Here are my Christmas "rules"
1. No Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving.
2. No Christmas movies until the day after Thanksgiving
3. Absolutely no Christmas decorations until the day after Thanksgiving.
4. No peppermint mochas until the day after Thanksgiving.
(actually, I won't even eat any Peppermint flavored foods/cookies/etc until December. I am all about Pumpkin in October & November)
5. No Black Friday shopping.
Don't EVEN get me started on Black Friday shopping. 
This year, they are calling it Black Thursday because some stores (Wal Mart & Sears) are opening at 8pm on Thanksgiving night. I can't believe it. So, so wrong.

I feel like society is skipping over & forgetting about Thanksgiving.
It makes me sad to think that some people might rush through their Thanksgiving dinner so that they go shopping and get the best deals.
Isn't Thanksgiving about spending time with family and reflecting on all that God has blessed you with & all that you have to be thankful for? I don't understand why we want to skip over the holiday.

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE Christmas. One of my favorite holidays.
But, I think that is why I get annoyed when people set up Christmas stuff early.
I think it feels more important/sacred when it is celebrated for a smaller amount of time.
It looses it's luster when it drags on for so long.
I truly believe Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year.
A time to celebrate the birth of Christ and God's gift to us.
When that becomes so commercialized & overdone it isn't as special.

I am literally giddy (like a kid on Christmas morning.... ha!) when I wake up the day after Thanksgiving because I know that it is the day that we get to go buy our Christmas tree, listen to Christmas music and Deck our Halls.
The day after Thanksgiving is (to me) the day that signifies the beginning of the CHRISTmas season, the most wonderful (and sacred) time of the year.

 I have my stance & I am sticking to it! 
If you are one who is already listening to Christmas music & getting out your decorations... It's all good, we can still be friends, right? :)
Be sure to come back tomorrow....I have a new Thanksgiving Printable for you...hopefully it will get you in the Thanksgiving Spirit!

12 comments:

  1. Now despite being Canadian, ever since I met my husband (who is also Canadian), I have participated in US Thanksgiving as his family has close friends that celebrate. When we got married, we decided (mostly because my husband can't stand listening to Christmas for 2 months instead of just one) to start decorating the day after US Thanksgiving. So that's always been our tradition as well.
    But we moved to Uganda last year and celebrated our first Ugandan Christmas and it was good, but different. Because it's so warm here we have bumped up all things Christmas to this weekend so we can give ourselves time to get in the Christmas mood. :)
    Mmmm, peppermint mochas....

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  2. Aman Sister! I have this lady who lives in my neighborhood who has about 10 christmas trees set up in her house before Halloween! The kids and I get a good laugh in every year!

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  3. Every family is different. I think I break most or all of your rules and am proud of it. Why can't Thanksgiving and Christmas coexist? I don't think I celebrate Thanksgiving less. In fact, we are doing a family Thanksgiving devotional at dinner ever night and sometimes there is Christmas music on. But it seems appropriate bc the music we are listening to is about the coming of Christ and worshipping Him.

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  4. Team Respect the Turkey!!!

    We go even further in that NO Christmas anything happens until well after Thanksgiving weekend. That four day weekend is for family. No photo shoots, no working, nothing. Just time with family and friends!!

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  5. Fantastic post, Mel! You made some really great points! I think I'm going to follow your Thanksgiving/Christmas rules and save all things Christmas for the day after Thanksgiving. It's just ridiculous that stores are so concerned with making money that we're missing out on such an important holiday as Thanksgiving!

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  6. I love this post! Way to go Mel. LOVED the Black Friday picture...so true!

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  7. i was completely shocked when i heard stories were opening on thanksgiving early evening. what next on thanksgiving mid day??? it makes me mad. thanksgiving is supposed to be about family and being thankful not thinking about the best deal they can get.

    i can't believe santa was in the mall on november 2. really?? that is crazy.

    i do shop and get my gifts wrapped early. can we still be friends? the reason i do this is so i can enjoy all of december focusing on advent activities with my kids and not having to find time to shop and i don't want to fight all the crazy crowds of people.

    i totally agree with you...thanks for this post mel!

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  8. I think it's entirely possible to enjoy the Christmas season and Thanksgiving at the same time.
    I don't decorate until after Thanksgiving but I do enjoy the season of Christmas and can appreciate the decor and drinks and things that come with it. The cute Christmas cups at Starbucks and Panera evoke happy memories for me and in turn make me appreciate, remember, and be thankful.
    I also think that it's unfair to decide that enjoying Christmas before a certain time means you skip over Thanksgiving or don't appreciate it's meaning.
    Not everyone who enjoys the Christmas stuff early is brainwashed by the consumerism or commercialization of it all.
    Not everyone who enjoys Black Friday shopping is leaving their family behind to go do it.
    It isn't unreasonable to be thankful AND enjoy Christmas before a certain date.
    People are far too concerned about how early OTHERS are celebrating or Thanksgiving losing it meaning for OTHERS.
    Frankly -who cares if some family you don't even know (or someone you do know) enjoys Christmas so much that they start celebrating in October.
    Isn't devoting a post to, as you called it "rant" about this every year doing exactly what you are complaining about - taking away from being thankful, for appreciating what you have.
    Do whats right for you and your family.

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  9. Amen and yes you can get a hallelujah... Man oh mighty this Christmas stuff out before Thanksgiving drives me nuts too, Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday and I too love Christmas, but I have a hubby who thinks Christmas is way too commercialized and this up in October business only validates it... haha

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