Let’s imagine for a moment that no sign of the coming holiday was evident until December 1. (It couldn’t happen much sooner due to Thanksgiving and preparations for Black Friday weekend.) Now the normal chaos of the season is ratcheted to a higher level as businesses and charitable organizations must scramble to get out and buy decorations and supplies for their various Christmas events, most of which occur in the first two weeks of December. Budgets are strained because of the inability to check prices early. Lines are even longer, and tempers are shorter because of the increased number of shoppers and the disappearance of desired items from shelves. Crafters are in tears because they were unable to purchase holiday-themed supplies early for the decorations and gifts they planned to make and don’t have the time necessary to make everything! Oh the humanity!
Here’s the bottom line: if you aren’t in the mood for Christmas shopping, then assume the displays aren’t meant for you. They exist for others: those who need to browse early, plan early, and purchase early. Don’t begrudge those Christmas-minded others their early shopping opportunities. Life’s too short to be a Scrooge who, as you know, changed his attitude by the end of his story and lived a much happier life because of it. As Charles Dickens wrote in A Christmas Carol, “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”
As one of those scrougie people who refuses to walk down the aisles of Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving....all those crafting and decorating supplies should have been purchased ON SALE right after last Christmas!! Plan ahead, like Brenda Christmas tells us too! (I'm winking...and smiling.)
ReplyDeleteI love your OCD, and love reading your blog!!
I admit I squeal, too! We keep a small year-round area of Christmas stuff in our thrift store, since we receive Christmas donations year-round. We stash most of the stuff, though, and bring it out just after Thanksgiving, which slays some customers who just.cant.wait. A lot of the Christmas decor that appeals to me can be used for more than just Christmas (I lean toward shabby whites, turquoise and aqua items, mercury glass, etc., rather than red and green) and I'll snatch it up any time of year. Now, I have no interest at all in Halloween, so in my double-standard way, I'll sneer at Halloween merchandise that I see in August, heheh.
ReplyDeleteTerri, it's true that I promote shopping the Christmas clearance sales; it's a passion of mine! Some folks spend all their money on gifts and can't do that. Others are all Christmased out and aren't in the mood. So let's feel a little compassion for those people and let them shop in August. *winking and smiling back*
ReplyDelete"Timber," now I want to run out and look for shabby whites, turquoise, and aqua! (I don't know what mercury glass is.) I've seen pics of your Christmas decorating, and it's always so dreamy and beautiful.
Pinterest: search "mercury glass" - you'll get an eyeful! I also just pinned a bunch of neat ideas using old sheets of music and I HOPE to have time to do some of those things this year. I'm always quite optimistic this time of year, but, as you know and preach, time can get away from ya!
ReplyDelete(Add the word "Christmas" to your search to see all the nice color variety and holidayish stuff....)
ReplyDeleteOK, probably converted from 'kind of' a Christmas Scrooge to happy participant! Thanks for the Christmas Cheer Brenda, even if it is in October! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's good for me to be reminded that early Christmas shopping may be a good idea after all. By the way, the Werkendam street sign on the right side of this blog looks familiar to me. Do you mind revealing the location (town, country etc.)?
ReplyDeleteGerben Oosterbaan
Hi Gerben,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry, but I have no idea where the photo was taken. It was one of the free background choices that Blogger offers. I imagine it was a stock photo.