Holiday Prep: How soon is too soon?

Oh, MAN, this strikes such a chord with me.

We went to Lowe's about two weeks ago, and they had something like four aisles of Christmas stuff up, including a full Christmas tree display. I was honestly a little shocked, because I don't remember ever seeing decorations out THAT early before. There was a tiny little end-cap shelf of Halloween things, the rest was all Christmas. I mean, not that I go to Lowe's for Halloween decorations (or Christmas decorations, for that matter), but the whole thing seemed really ridiculous to me.

I have been accused, in the past, of being a heartless grinch with no soul and no respect for Jesus. Or something. The co-worker who said most of these things to me was the same one who wanted to start playing ALL Christmas music at the beginning of November. Uhhh...no. A million times, no.

The thing is, I really DO love Christmas. I just don't want to celebrate it for three months, because that takes away the magic. It's not special anymore if you keep extending the season.


As for when I decorate.... I'd say, for the most part, a month before. When I was a kid, we would absolutely beg to put the tree up on the day after Thanksgiving, but now I like to wait until at least the first of December. I wasn't planning on putting a tree up at ALL last year, but since my mom & my grandma came down for a quick visit, I ended up decorating two or three days before Christmas . Halloween decorations are acceptable on the first of October (although, I'll start thinking of costumes MUCH earlier than that...especially if I plan on doubling up and wearing the same costume for DragonCon and Halloween.)

I don't really decorate for any other holidays. I will decorate MYSELF on the actual holiday, as well as the Friday before if it falls on a weekend (red, white, and blue outfit on Independence Day, with some kind of silly headband or jewelry; red and pink with heart antennae for Valentine's Day; bunny ears for Easter, and so on.)

 

I never go in stores...like, the last time was at Maple Lake over the summer to get groceries. I hate shopping. I hate how bright it is and the lines and my allergies kick in because of the dust. My spouse does all the groceries partly because he took over the nighttime cooking and partly because he takes the car a great deal and we live in a sprawling swath of suburbia with zip for public trans.

I've learned though not to "see" stuff in stores if it annoys me. I look past it. I also look past stuff because I used to want to buy things I couldn't afford and feel badly that I was "poor." Then I grew up (admittedly, belatedly), realized that Madison Ave. as they used to call it, was manipulating me so I started doing almost all my shopping in thrift stores. But they are dusty and often not well-ventilated--so I don't really thrift shop anymore.
I buy all my stuff online. No music. Few decorations. I work from home so I'm here for the deliveries (mostly).

I do like to go out to not-stores and enjoy the decorations but I control when. Like for my birthday which falls near Thanksgiving we are going to Wildfire and they do such a great job of a comfy, cozy autumn feel and the rest of the experience is near-perfect, too. Sometimes, if the weather isn't freakish I like to check out pretty Christmas lights in neighbourhoods that seem to be in a competition--but not until the week of Christmas.

I don't care if people decorate too early but I don't like to look at Christmas decorations in March or Halloween decor in December.

 

Don't tell anybody... That's all I'll need... to endure more of this nonsense.

 

Walking the dog this afternoon, and saw a Christmas tree set up with all decorations and lights lit up in front of the window of somebody's living room.

It's only halfway through November ... FCS.

 

December 1st for the house. I really don't want to think about Christmas before that.

And I love Christmas.

In Singapore, many stores start with Christmas music and decorations around Hallowe'en. The decorations (always quite impressive) are up on Orchard Road, but they aren't lit yet.

We are doing our annual Thanksmas party on December 7th this year, so our decorations will be up the week before that...

 

Dec 6 is the soonest for me. My wife's birthday is Dec 5, so I don't want to clutter up my mind with that holiday stuff until after the birthdays are handled.

 

I'm secretly kind of ready now. But will probably wait until Thanksgiving, as usual. Then again...

 

X-MAS MUSIC IN STORES TWO WEEKS BEFORE THANKSGIVING.

*HEAD ESSPLODES*

NEIGHBORS HAVE LIGHTS UP TWO WEEKS BEFORE THANKSGIVING.

*NECK ESSPLODES*

SIT-WITH-SANTA DISPLAY AT MALL TWO WEEKS BEFORE THANKSGIVING.

*TORSO ESSPLODES, LEAVING BOOTS AND BELT*

...

This shit is ridiculous... pretty soon I'll be wearing my Halloween costume to a 4th of July party.

 

When does your ass assplode?

 

Growing up, my mom starting collecting Christmas trees. As her forest grew, she started putting them earlier since there were just so many. Nov 1 is my sister's birthday, and my mom would start putting things up that evening. Now, she has a forest of 30+ christmas trees, and honestly it is the thing I miss most about the holidays. I haven't had a christmas tree or really decorated in the 8 years since I left home. I am hoping to this year.

 

Relevant

...

This year the current woman and I aren't putting up the X-mas tree. Too much work. I think she's already destroyed from the holiday stress and we haven't even hit 20 November yet.

 

Also, we've been playing Christmas music in the store for the past 2 weeks. Our store is located in an area with a large Jewish population. I have been yelled at by multiple people with too much time on their hands that we're trying to ignore their holiday.


--- merged: Nov 18, 2013 at 10:10 AM ---
I know, I don't like the music either. We have to play the CDs corporate sends. I am the opposite of the person you should be yelling at.

 

yeah, but you're the customer facing side of the business. The only way for the public to get the message to corporate. What's the process to feed this back?

 

Yeah, give me the phone number. I'll make the call where my ass assplodes.

 

We advertise our corporate number at multiple places in the store, or at the very least they could ask for a manager instead of screaming at a minimum wage employee. Just saying.

 

I don't really celebrate Christmas.
So when Walmart already had the Christmas stuff out when I moved here mid-September, it was a little frustrating. No garden center, just garland and snowmen. If one can wait until after Thanksgiving or on Dec 1st, I think that's fine. Halloween does not mean it's time for Christmas, yo.

 

I don't abhor crafty places for having Christmas stuff out early. It takes people time to make that shit.

I know that the Christmas music is a ploy to get people in the mood to buy stuff. When it comes to marketing....nothing is an accident or a way to make people more cheery.

Companies wouldn't waste resources on pumping out the holiday gear early if people weren't buying it. It's all heavily researched.All of what you see is the fault of your fellow consumer.

 

I'm not sure I'm picking up what you're putting down. Could you use some sign language?

Speaking of no Christmas tree, I usually don't bother with one myself because of the hassle, and we usually go to my brother's or sister's place.
I recently watched a commercial for those 3M wall hooks and they rigged a string of Christmas lights on the wall in the shape of a tree.
I think I will try that this year.

Btw, I've seen ads on either QVC or HSN in July for their Christmas in July sales. I just shake my head.

 

I find most holiday seasons entirely overrated.

The hell is up with Halloween being such a massive thing in the US?

You guys like dressing up, tell crappy horror stories and get drunk with Mario & Luigi. We get it.