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Merry October, everyone!
By AprillBrandon in Pop Goes the Culture
October 10, 2007

I've said it before and I'll say it again. There is nothing better than heading out in mid-October with the excitement of Halloween in your heart only to find that half the costume aisle is now filled with little Santa figurines.

Ah, yes, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Already. In mid-October. God bless big business.

Now I'll admit that Christmas is by far my favorite holiday. In fact, I love it so much, I thought I could never get enough of it.

Turns out I was wrong.

It's bad enough that Christmas already impedes on Thanksgiving (the holiday equivalent of the ugly step-sister who can never seem to outshine her beauty queen sister Christmas). But now they are messing with my Halloween, that holiday that is all about the fright, the ugly, the dark. And unless Santa is holding a chainsaw and dressed like Jason, I don't want to see his roly-poly little face until December.

I can only imagine what it's going to be like in a few years if this trend keeps going.

"Excuse me ma'am, would you like a candy cane with your fireworks?"

Or perhaps "Happy Groundhogs Day, honey! Here's a fruitcake."

To make it even worse, stores are now using subliminal messages to get us in the holiday spirit, those sneaky, little (insert insulting bad word of your choice here). Since they know how much it irks the public that Christmas keeps creeping up on us earlier and earlier, they are changing their tactics, accoring to a story in the New York Times.

And I quote: "Eager to expand the holiday shopping season without provoking consumers, retailers are experimenting with a novel approach: earlier-than-ever advertising that deliberately plays down the tinsel and holly."

To read the whole article, click on the link:

http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/stores-start-stealthy-christmas-in/20071009093209990001

I say we need to put a stop to this. Christmas is Christmas because it comes but once a year, not because we celebrate it for three solid months. Who's with me?

 

 

Comments


  • CF CF Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    Years ago (12, to be exact), I used to work at an "arts and crafts heaven" in Victoria (probably the same one that Laredonative is referring to, LOL), and yes, we did put out the Christmas items in July (well, June back then).  I was a cashier, so I didn't have first-hand experience with the Seasonal department myself, but I do remember being told that the Christmas items went out that early because we actually had customers that started their Christmas crafts that early.  These were the customers that either made their Christmas gifts themselves, or made items to sell at local craft fairs, or both.  Apparently, there's a big enough market to warrant the need to put out the Christmas stuff 6 months before the holiday--in the company's eyes, at least.  :-)

    October 10, 2007 at 2:21 p.m.

  • VietnamVet VietnamVet Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    I'll agree with both of you. By the time Christmas rolls around, I'm ready to say No-mas!

    October 10, 2007 at 12:56 p.m.