Christmas??
Before I start the main part of this post, what you need to know about me is how much I love Christmas.
It's the best time of year - family stuck together in a cozy house, drinking warm drinks, talking, (mostly) enjoying each other's company. I do look forward to it for the better part of each year. I have even been known to listen to the odd Christmas CD at random points throughout the year - it's odd but sometimes the songs just randomly pop into my head, and I can't be rid of them till I hear them... but that being said, should also mention here that it's once in a blue moon, and not for extended periods of time.
So the reason for this post is to rant about Christmas - and how retailers, in North America at least, are determined to suck the Christmas out of Christmas. It's all about money. And that attitude is very disappointing.
I walked into our local Zellers (for any potential American readers, it's our version of Target) before my birthday (Oct 17), but after our Thanksgiving, only to find the start of the Christmas displays.
I was shocked - last year they seemed to at least wait until after Halloween (mind you, it was November 1st at midnight) to put them up - but this year, they showed no such regard.
Then imagine my extreme surprise (though I suppose it shouldn't exist, really) when I walked into the Zellers close to my office on Nov 2 of this year, and found them playing Christmas music - and that in the 20 minutes I was there, I heard the same song by the same artist twice. It's ridiculous. I commented on it to the clerk who checked me out, and she said that none of them were impressed with their boss when he announced that morning that they would be starting up the music.
Advertising for Christmas shopping this early in the year steals the magic from it. Putting up displays is one thing - you can avoid them if you choose - but playing the music ad nauseum for almost two months is just too much.
Why not leave the decorations up year round? Why not have every fifth song on the radio be a Christmas one year round. Heck - why not leave Santa's hut up in the malls and let kids get their pics taken year round? It's all about money right?
And that's another thing that bothers me. On December 26/27 these same stores that are so quick to start the money making and boost their bottom lines in the fall, are also so quick to do the exact opposite - pull everything down - 'out of sight out of mind' until eight months later. The Christmas season doesn't end just because the gift giving does.
We live in one heck of a sad, mucked up world.
(Not the most eloquent post ever - but I needed to get that off of my chest!)
It's the best time of year - family stuck together in a cozy house, drinking warm drinks, talking, (mostly) enjoying each other's company. I do look forward to it for the better part of each year. I have even been known to listen to the odd Christmas CD at random points throughout the year - it's odd but sometimes the songs just randomly pop into my head, and I can't be rid of them till I hear them... but that being said, should also mention here that it's once in a blue moon, and not for extended periods of time.
So the reason for this post is to rant about Christmas - and how retailers, in North America at least, are determined to suck the Christmas out of Christmas. It's all about money. And that attitude is very disappointing.
I walked into our local Zellers (for any potential American readers, it's our version of Target) before my birthday (Oct 17), but after our Thanksgiving, only to find the start of the Christmas displays.
I was shocked - last year they seemed to at least wait until after Halloween (mind you, it was November 1st at midnight) to put them up - but this year, they showed no such regard.
Then imagine my extreme surprise (though I suppose it shouldn't exist, really) when I walked into the Zellers close to my office on Nov 2 of this year, and found them playing Christmas music - and that in the 20 minutes I was there, I heard the same song by the same artist twice. It's ridiculous. I commented on it to the clerk who checked me out, and she said that none of them were impressed with their boss when he announced that morning that they would be starting up the music.
Advertising for Christmas shopping this early in the year steals the magic from it. Putting up displays is one thing - you can avoid them if you choose - but playing the music ad nauseum for almost two months is just too much.
Why not leave the decorations up year round? Why not have every fifth song on the radio be a Christmas one year round. Heck - why not leave Santa's hut up in the malls and let kids get their pics taken year round? It's all about money right?
And that's another thing that bothers me. On December 26/27 these same stores that are so quick to start the money making and boost their bottom lines in the fall, are also so quick to do the exact opposite - pull everything down - 'out of sight out of mind' until eight months later. The Christmas season doesn't end just because the gift giving does.
We live in one heck of a sad, mucked up world.
(Not the most eloquent post ever - but I needed to get that off of my chest!)
posted by Starr @ 20:32
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