Halloween 2011 Continues

[Pumpkin56]

Well my sister and I went to Target several days BEFORE Halloween and they had already replaced the Halloween Banner above the door with Merry Christmas! I kinda wanted to turn around and walk out. My family decorates for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. I make myself scarce around that time because to be honest, I don't really care for all those decorations. I don't like the holly, I hate touching the Christmas tree (too rough, makes me feel like I'm getting a rash), I don't really care for the smell of cinnamon everywhere I go... I'm not necessarily a grinch--I love to buy presents and wrap them up beautifully, BUT I kinda feel like every year the Christmas decor tries to drown me everywhere I turn.

[Jack Skellington]

Well my sister and I went to Target several days BEFORE Halloween and they had already replaced the Halloween Banner above the door with Merry Christmas! I kinda wanted to turn around and walk out. My family decorates for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. I make myself scarce around that time because to be honest, I don't really care for all those decorations. I don't like the holly, I hate touching the Christmas tree (too rough, makes me feel like I'm getting a rash), I don't really care for the smell of cinnamon everywhere I go... I'm not necessarily a grinch--I love to buy presents and wrap them up beautifully, BUT I kinda feel like every year the Christmas decor tries to drown me everywhere I turn.

Perhaps you could merge your Halloween & Christmas decorations together?

[Pumpkin_Man]

Pumpkin 56, Christmas is not my favorite holiday, either, but I do enjoy the traditions. It's really a day more geared for kids, however. For an adult, or at least for me, it's more about religion and the old traditions then it is about what gifts I get. I do love to see how the 'little ones' light up when I give them a Christmas present, and I have a great time at my Tree Trimming party, but the only two holidays that really have me 'chompin at the bit' to get here are Halloween and the 4th of July.

Mike

[Murfreesboro]

One thing I have regretted for many years is how quickly the stores and society in general dispense with Christmas once the 25th is over. All the hoopla really is about selling stuff. For the last two years I have seen Easter candy for sale between Christmas and New Year's, and Easter hasn't even been early the last two years. And I am accustomed to seeing the Valentines go up into the card bins on New Year's Eve. I thought that was premature until I started seeing the Easter candy even earlier.

I love to celebrate Christmas as a season, not just a day. While the 24th/25th are the height of the season, it isn't really supposed to disappear as quickly as it does. Traditionally it was supposed to last until January 6th. Even in our society "the holidays" are generally assumed to last from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day.

In the church calendar, Advent (the four weeks leading up to Christmas) is actually supposed to be a penitential season, like Lent. The feasting isn't supposed to start until Christmas Day, or at the earliest, Christmas Eve. There are countries, I believe, where Santa visits on St. Nicholas's Day, December 6th. There are others where the children get their toys from the Three Kings on Epiphany, January 6th. I suppose the gift-giving at Christmas itself is more among adults in those places. We have sort of dumped it all in together. It's almost as if we are in a hurry to get it over with, rather than cherishing the season.

[Jack Skellington]

I agree with all you said Murf. We also celebrate Christmas as a season too.

For the last two years over here, the Easter candy has appeared on Christmas Eve! It's ridiculous!

[Pumpkin_Man]

I do observe Advent and I celebrate Christmas as a season and you are right. The Christmas season, as far as tshe church is concerned, starts on december 25th, and then goes until the 6th of Janyary, all though I do have my decorations up on the weekend after Thanksgiving, and my tree is usualy up no later then the 2nd Saturday of Dec. Unfortunately, I do have to be back at work before January 6th after Christmas Vacation is over, and I really hate to face that Christmas tree and all those decorations on that first work day of the new year, so I allways take Christmas down on New Years Day. I still celebrate the season, though through my Rosary intentions.

As for the stores, you are right. It seems that they shifted Halloween to August, Christmas to October, and Easter to January, with Thanksgiving totaly omitted. I do see some small references to Valentines Day and St. Patrick's Day, but for the most part, it's hard sell of the next major gift-giving holiday. When I went to the local Family Dollar to purchase my Grim Reaper gift, they had 3 isles fullof Christmas decorations, and the song "Deck the Halls" playing over the store Muzak system. I know I'll find Easter candy and the like in late January or early Feb, but the St. Patrick's Day items won't be seen until March 1st.

And NOBODY seems to even make a slight reference to the 4th of July, with the exception of a few "4th of July" sales. Thanksgiving is also very seldomly celebrated at the stores. Yes, they do have specials on turkies and other traditional Thanksgiving food items, but Thanksgiving decorations are a bit harder to find, and available for a much shorter time.

Mike

[Jack Skellington]

Last year & this year it was in the news that some of the department stores in London started selling their Christmas decorations in August!

[dark master]

Last year & this year it was in the news that some of the department stores in London started selling their Christmas decorations in August!

yi know what you mean JACK,its getting earlier and earlier,stores should not be allowed to display decorations till november at the earliest,

[Pumpkin_Man]

I can actualy remember a day when yhou didn't see Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving. Now you see them before Halloween. I also have seen Christmas decorations go up for sale in August, however it was a clearance sale.

[Murfreesboro]

Well, it is possible to find Thanksgiving decorations at a few places, like Hobby Lobby, but the trouble with Thanksgiving is that it is basically a harvest festival, so whatever decorations you might choose tend to get lumped in with the Halloween stuff.

I think of Thanksgiving as being primarily a feast day, so I look for signs of Thanksgiving at the grocery store. You actually do see magazines there geared toward Thanksgiving feasts. I mean, cooking magazines exclusively about Thanksgiving meals. The thing is, I've been doing Thanksgiving for thirty years, so I don't need to find new recipes for my Thanksgiving table. I know what I'm doing with it.

I have a Thanksgiving tablecloth I bought a few years ago at K Mart. It has figures of pilgrims and fall trees and pumpkins (not jack-o-lanterns) all over it. You can find these things if you keep your eyes open.

[Jack Skellington]

Last year & this year it was in the news that some of the department stores in London started selling their Christmas decorations in August!

yi know what you mean JACK,its getting earlier and earlier,stores should not be allowed to display decorations till november at the earliest,

Yes I agree!

It also takes all the fun out of it when you see them so early.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I realize you can find Thanksgiving decorations, Murf, but you really have to look for them. Unlike Christmas decorations that they seemingly find you. There also have been a few Thanksgiving tv comercials, and one of the cable channels actualy did air "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" not too long ago.

Mike

[Jack Skellington]

Pumpkin_Man, why is there a lot less decorations for Thanksgiving & 4th of July then. I would have thought the stores would make lots of money around those holidays selling decorations?

[Murfreesboro]

Well, if I can venture a guess--Thanksgiving is really about the feast, so there are lots of ads for food, and the grocery stores are crammed with holiday food for both Thanksgiving & Christmas baking. And Thanksgiving weekend is the unofficial start of h9oliday shopping, so people shift into Christmas mode immediately after they finish the meal, it seems. Most people who decorate for Thanksgiving are really just leaving up selected items from their Halloween decor--things like scarecrows, hay bales, and uncarved pumpkins or Indian corn. I have a wooden turkey hanging on my front door., which replaced the ghostie I did have hanging there in October. I have seen scarecrows made like pilgrim children or maybe Indians, but not too many. Most people start putting up their Christmas decorations on Thanksgiving weekend, it seems. It is very much a transitional holiday, linking Halloween & Christmas.

Now, the Fourth of July is mainly an outdoor festival, and frequently a communal one as well. My ideal Fourth would include swimming, a barbecue, maybe watermelon for dessert, and a community-sponsored fireworks display. Some families schedule their annual reunions on or near the Fourth, so they might not even be at home at that time. The main decoration, wherever you are, is an American flag. There is plenty of bunting for sale in red, white & blue. I have bought glow necklaces for the kids & me to wear to the fireworks display, and those come in patriotic colors, too, at that time of year. You can buy yard ornaments, and we have a few--an Uncle Sam, and a little garden angel who looks sort of like Betsy Ross (the woman who sewed the first American flag). And I have a wooden door ornament painted like a flag but shaped like a heart. So there is stuff you can buy, but not as much of it as you see for Halloween & Christmas, it seems.

[Jack Skellington]

Thanks for that Murf. I guess you're looking forward to your Thanksgiving weekend?