Bah Humbug! (not FF)

FAOL Community Sound Off
1

Ok, how early is too early? Friday I found myself in the local Sears store looking for a new fridge. But what should assault my eyes first. There right in front of me was a massive display of fully decorated and lit artificial Christmas trees. If that was not bad enough, on the drive home I passed a neighbors place where the 15 foot fir in his front yard was all lit up with colored bulbs.

September 25th. A new record. I guess to preserve my sanity and a tiny little bit of Christmas spirit I will have to avoid the city and its stores until at least Thanksgiving or I will be sick of it all long before it arrives.

2

I sure agree with you about the retailers starting too darn early, but with regard to a neighbor could be likely be having an early celebration for their Son’s , Daughter’s or someone they know that will be shipping out.

Nothing quite like the feeling of Christmas especially to our young troops early or not…

I have seen this very often and what a terrific thing to do…
As well some keep the decorations up until after our troops come home…

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But boy, do I dislike when the retailers start in way before Thanksgiving,

I sure do understand what you mean…:slight_smile:

Take care,

Steve

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3

I sure agree with you about the retailers starting too darn early, but with regard to a neighbor could be likely be having an early celebration for their Son’s , Daughter’s or someone they know that will be shipping out.

Nothing quite like the feeling of Christmas especially to our young troops early or not…

I have seen this very often and what a terrific thing to do…
As well some keep the decorations up until after our troops come home…

==================================================
But boy, do I dislike when the retailers start in way before Thanksgiving,

I sure do understand what you mean…:slight_smile:

Take care,

Steve

4

Steve, you know I had never thought of having an early celebration for youngun in the military, but that makes a lot of sense. Mom and I may be gettng a taste of that in the future, our daughter is preparing to take the AFOQT to see if she can qualify to be an Air Force Officer. Mom may shoot me if baby girl passes because Mom thinks I encouraged her.

Back to the original topic how many more years before we will not be permitted to celebrate Christmas because someone is offended. I saw on the news this morning a school in FL was prohibiting the student pep squad from placing Biblical quotation on banners because a man with no children at the school attended a ball game saw the banners and was OFFENDED. Why do people think they have a right not to be offended. They offend me, but that’s their right.

Sorry, I guess there was gas in the cylinder and I guess needed a small spark. I need to go fishing.

5

My wife and I were in a local Cracker Barrel the first week of August and they had their Halloween stuff out in one section of their gift shop and their Christmas stuff out in another section!! I asked the clerk why and she said that they want to get ahead of their competition! I told her that I hoped God would forgive them and walked away! It is sad, but, the whole world is geared towards money, money, money!

I do not like what I am seeing and the direction our country is going and really feel sorry for what my 2 grandaughters are going to have to go through. There is nothing sacred or moral anymore. :sad:

6

We may not like it, but you can understand it.

The celebration that Christmas has become effects not only Observant Christians. If you can take the religious aspect out of it (I know, it’s even named after our Christian Savior, but we don’t require everyone to believe the same thing or to believe in the same way here, right?), and look at it from it’s commercial aspects:

It’s the single largest retail event in both volume AND gross sales (I know, that’s not what the season is supposed to be about, but we made it like this ourselves, if you look at it objectively). Most retailers in this country make ALL their profits during what is caleld ‘the season’. The rest of the year is just to cover costs and prepare for the ‘season’.

With the economy on shaky ground, the people who sell retail for a living are usually the ones who feel it both first and last. Stores are closing, folks are losing jobs due to lack of sales volume. What is termed ‘disposable income’ has fallen dramatically. Malls especially, with their reliance on ‘impulse purchases’, have been hard hit.

For many smaller shops, a solid October might make the difference between surviving and having to close their doors. For some of the larger chains, gettting ready early could make the difference between shareholders losing or making a profit for the year. Can you blame them for trying to get an early start on the ‘big season’?

If the comercilization of the Christmas season offends you, then you’ll just have to try and ignor it. I see it differently. What I beleive about this will not be effected by what gets sold or displayed in any store. I won’t be dissuaded from the joys of the season just because some folks make a profit from it. I see, nor will I allow, no connection between the two. Both appear to me to be a good thing.

The season should be about joyous celebration of the one of the most celebrated, and to some, one of the most blessed events in human history. Seeing the acoutrements that acompany this celebration in September just makes me happier sooner.

Buddy

7

Wonderful sediments , I was going to respond in kind but my words were exactly as yours…

Thanks Buddy!

Steve

8

Thanks for that reply Buddy. As an owner of a small retail shop the “season” is what makes the store go. We close for a full 10 days in mid-late October to decorate and put out the Christmas mdse.I go on fishing vacation during that time as I don’t decorate very well and my wife agrees. But I will say, for my wife and I, when Christmas arrives we tired of it.

9

Hey Buddy Sanders,
Nicely stated perspective.

Mark