Thursday, November 18, 2010
I Checked My Calendar and December 25 Still Comes After November 25
The other day, I read this post by Liz called Thanksgiving Comes First. She talked about the way retailers just skip right over the unmarketable Thanksgiving holiday and go right to Christmas.
I thought Liz had a point, but I didn't consider much more about her post or the issue. Until this morning.
I was listening to my favorite morning DJ on my favorite morning radio station. When the incredibly irritating Katy Perry song "California Gurls"--
(Annoying NOT just because of the dumb spelling...)
--started and I quickly changed the station. There really are no words for how much I hate that song. And I even actually kind of like Katy Perry.
Anyway, the country station was doing a traffic report, and Jack FM was at a commercial, and then I landed on the adult contemporary station. The song that was playing was all music. No lyrics. No vocals of any kind. I listened for a second, confused as to why they were playing a musical selection from a Disney movie as I was, at first, sure it was.
(Hey, it was only 6:30am. It takes a while before my brain reaches full operating capacity.)
(And as soon as that actually happens, I'll let you know exactly how long it took.)
Nope. It was some philharmonic orchestral rendition of "Sleigh Ride."
When that song ended, the DJ came back on, said something about listening to "your holiday station" and went into Bing Crosby's "White Christmas."
Say what?
Now, I love Christmas. I love it more than my own birthday. But there is a season for Christmas and that season comes AFTER Thanksgiving.
I don't want to see Christmas lights on your house unless you live in a place that is so cold in fall and winter that you can actually justify having your lights up when it's still technically summer.
(I'm talking to YOU, Québec.)
I don't want to see Christmas tree lots advertising sales on trees that will be brown before I've even taken the jack-o-lantern off my porch.
I don't want to see Christmas displays and gift-giving ideas next to the back-to-school supplies and the Halloween costumes. Unless it's somewhere like Michael's or Jo-Ann's where people HAVE to start hand making those gifts in July.
I don't want to watch Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel when the other cheesy movie networks are showing movies about veterans for Veteran's Day.
And I don't want to hear Christmas music on NOVEMBER EIGHTEENTH.
Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful. And, even though times are hard, there are still a lot of things to be thankful for. Can't we take some time to think about those things before we start rushing to pull out the red and green decorations, dust off that old artificial tree and drive everyone around us bonkers with our cups of good cheer?
Liz is right. Thanksgiving comes first.
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There are 2 (count them, 2!) radio stations here that start playing nothing but Chirstmas music the day after Halloween. It's preposterous. Except I kind of like the first few Christmas songs of the year. Mostly because it's been so long and they are a nice change from the regularly scheduled programming. But then it gets old and annoying and I avoid those stations until December.
ReplyDeleteI'm off to check out that blog because I swear, I've been saying the same thing. I told my husband the other day, "Black Friday" is creeping so far into Thanksgiving, eventually it'll be, "Don't even bother with Thanksgiving because our store is opening at 5 a.m. Thanksgiving Day." Then T-giving will be a holiday of the past.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. It really bugs me. I have said similar sentiments before and I always get a look from people like I'm the crazy one. I think starting the Christmas season the day after Thanksgiving is fine, that's enough time to observe it, if you ask me. Why can't we all focus on the reason for Thanksgiving instead of pouting that it's not a "fun" holiday to decorate for or something superficial like that?
ReplyDeleteI start Christmas music in to my mix by October at the latest. Has nothing to do with skipping Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteI guess I'm just one of those crazy people who believes listening to Christmas music celebrating Thanksgiving are not mutually exclusive!
This is one of my biggest pet peeves. One of our local radio stations starts playing ALL christmas music on NOVEMBER 1ST! I can't stand it. Christmas music during the days leading up to Christmas is cheerful and happy, 6 weeks before Christmas - it's annoying.
ReplyDeleteAMEN! And thank you!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny- the stuff in stores is irritating but I can overlook it. It's how it is seeping into everyday acceptance (and yes, it starts with retailers) that bugs me. Radio stations, houses with lights- I even saw a house with a full blown obnoxious a la the Griswold's set up the other day- and so on.
And you know? When they push Christmas early, it feels more and more commercial and less and less about the reason for the season- no matter what your belief system is!
I kinda agree with you, and I say that because some years it bugs "the heck out of me", and other years, well...I figure, "what the heck"! And now I'm feeling like you're really going to be mad at me...well, because....just pop over to my blog and see what I posted a couple of hours ago! :o
ReplyDelete(It's for a great cause though!)
My husband and I are boycotting Christmas this year. Nothing against Christ and all, but I'm just sick to death of al the hype. Here! Here!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I used to get really aggravated when I saw outside lights and decorations put up really early, or left up way after Christmas, until I read a story in the newspaper years ago about a family leaving them on until their son came back home from a war. THAT made me think differently, and I still do, to this day...If it makes them happy, who am I to say....?
ReplyDeleteI just gave up caring. It's not going to change, so I deal with it.
ReplyDeleteI think Canada is onto something, celebrating Thanksgiving in October. Maybe that's what we should do.
ReplyDeleteFunny, I could have sworn on one of those "100 things about me" lists, that you said you listen to Christmas music all year. Maybe I have you mixed up with someone else.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with everything you said except the part about the Christmas music. Because *I* am one of those people who listens to it all year round. Christmas music makes me happy. Well, except for that Christmas Shoes song. That makes me feel stabby.
Also: do you really hate Katy Perry? She is like my favorite guilty pleasure. Aside from Bret Michaels, of course.
ReplyDeleteThe grocery store down the street recently put tents up in their parking lot. I thought it was for selling pumpkins. NOPE! It's for Christmas trees!
ReplyDeleteAnd I hate Christmas music! More than I hate Christmas...and that's a lot! lol!
But I love JACK FM!
I completely agree! I remember when (and I'm twenty-five, so this can't have been that long ago) the Christmas season didn't begin until Santa showed up at the end of the Macy's parade.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. In our house we keep Thanksgiving and then we keep Advent.
ReplyDeleteWe don't put any Christmas things up until the Sunday before Christmas and then we take things down after the Ephinany January 6th.. We keep the crib and nativity up at least until the end of January. We need to Keep Christ in Christmas.
Walmart has been playing christmas music since November 1. Today, I was singing along with Frosty the snowman and I wanted to shoot myself. I'm such a grinch. Plus, I spent 3 hours at work making christmas cut out cookies. I'm so over Christmas right now.
ReplyDeleteWell you might be talking to Manitoba as well. We've had our Christmas lights on our house in October, and we were damn happy that we didn't have to do it sooner.
ReplyDeleteI get it though, too much Christmas hype before, say, December 15th, makes me all nervous and feeling like there's something I forgot!
FM 100 has already started their 24 hours of Christmas music.
ReplyDeleteI say embrace the whole thing. To me, it's the holiday season. By the time December 1 hits, time goes by too fast, why not enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas all about the same time. Say, Thankmas?
Dustin has even chilaxed on this issue. He's not going to be so grumpy about it. THANK HEAVENS! :)
Oh how I hate how every year the "Christmas season" seems to creep closer and closer to Halloween. Come on! The only exception, in my mind, should be a nice discreet selection of decorations made available pre-Thanksgiving so that those of us who actually, God forbid, wait until after the holiday to put them out can buy them in preparation.
ReplyDeleteI guess I am "one of those people" who perpetuate the hype. I've been listening to Christmas music in my car for a few weeks now. It makes me happy and there's nothing you can do about it! So there!
ReplyDeleteThe wretched shops here in the UK have been pushing Christams since late September. I was shopping in October and the supermarket was playing 'Here it is Merry Christmas, everybody's having fun' by Slade. I've been listening to my i-player ever since. Ho ho ho!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree!!
ReplyDeleteTwo weeks ago, the wives of the two owners of the hotel I work for, showed up and started decorating for Christmas. I loath these two women and their taste in decoration! For Pete's sake they put out fake gifts wrapped in dark brown stuff with bows the color of mold! Anyway, one of them says to me, "Christmas is sneaking up on us" and I said "no it's not, it's not even Thanksgiving so Christmas can't be sneaking up on us!" She kind of gave a little huff and I walked away. A co-worker told me later that she couldn't believe I said that to an owner's wife but that she was so glad I did!
Congress should pass a law making it illegal for stores to put out Christmas stuff until after Thanksgiving. But I guess that would cut into the Valentine season!! :)
There's a station in Buffalo that (at least when I last lived there) would start playing Christmas music 24/7 some time in October and keep going until January. Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind so much that the advertising starts early because people DO shop early. But I really would like to get through one holiday before celebrating the next.
Sheesh!
What we need are more turkey songs!
ReplyDeleteDon't shun me, but the earlier the Christmas lights are up, the better. I LOVE driving around and seeing houses decked out in lights. Even the grodiest neighborhood looks friendly and pretty when it's decked out in Christmas lights.
ReplyDeleteRight on. I've been trying for years to stem the tide of Christmas stuff obliterating Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Comes First!
ReplyDelete(By the way, put that phrase "Thanksgiving Comes First" in Google, and you'll see all kinds of stuff other folks have written, agreeing with you!)
yah! I dont at all remember this even last year??? Santas village is up at The Grove and it;s SO WRONG. WHo decides this?
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Sounds like there's a Thanksgiving Comes First blogging movement afoot. I'm in. (I'd also add: Halloween Comes First and even Labor Day Comes First, as I've seen Christmas decorations being offered in August at some discount stores.)
ReplyDeleteOk, I love CHristmas, but even I know it has its time and place. We aren't having company over on Thanksgiving, so where's the rush to have Christmas decorations up?
ReplyDeleteAs for an all Christmas music playing station, I'm jealous. I don't think we even HAVE one here.
I am so with you on this one! Thanksgiving first, then Christmas, if you please!
ReplyDeleteBTW, Happy Thanksgiving—hope you have a great day tomorrow!