I was looking on Facebook over the weekend, and a friend of mine shared a photo from a store she was in.
All you could see were lighted and decorated Christmas trees.
You read that correctly. And it wasn’t in a Christmas store.
Now I know that some historians believe that Jesus was actually born this time of year, but do we have to start celebrating his birthday this early?
I have issues with Christmas beginning so early.
Actually, I have issues with stores selling things that aren’t in season yet.
For example, one year, I wanted to check out some fall clothes. It was late September, and I knew that it was probably the end of the season already. This is something that drives me absolutely batty.
I don’t want to shop for bathing suits in March. (What woman does? I’m still working off the weight I gained at Christmastime. If they want us to buy swimsuits early, make it in the fall before the holidays hit.)
I don’t want to look for winter coats when the temperature is still in the high 80s.
I don’t want to miss out on a couple of new fall outfits because I waited until—gasp–late September to begin shopping for them.
I remember all the Halloween decorations being half-priced at this store.
But there was still a month left until Halloween. What was going on?
I found out when I got to the end of the aisle…And entered what looked like Christmasville.
I literally stopped. I stopped in my tracks for probably one of the first times in my life. That’s how stunned I was.
In front of me, halfway down the store, were Christmas trees, cards, garland, sparkly tinsel, and things that played Christmas songs. I couldn’t see what the “things” were, but I began hearing Christmas music.
I turned to my husband. He didn’t look surprised at all.
“Can you believe this?” I asked. My eyes were so bugged out at this point that I couldn’t believe they hadn’t popped out and rolled down my face.
“Michele, the stores have been like this for years,” he answered. He told me that when he worked at the now defunct Hecht’s stores, which he did while in college, they set up this early all the time.
What? How could this be?
I remember when, as a child, people began to have fits that Santa was showing up in the malls before Thanksgiving.
I didn’t look, but as far as I know, the big guy might just be sitting there in September sporting Bermuda shorts, a Hawaiian shirt, and drinking a margarita with an umbrella in it.
It’s too hot for Christmas right now.
If I wanted to be thinking of Christmas when it’s 90 degrees, I would move to someplace sunny like Florida or California. Then I would expect it to be hot when it’s Christmas.
I was so dismayed.
After I composed myself, we decided to go out to dinner. We went to Cracker Barrel, which you may know, has a gift shop.
When we finished eating, my husband went to pay the bill while I looked around.
There were lots of Halloween decorations. I was thrilled!
Then I got wrapped up in all the old-time toys that they have. And the old shows on DVD. And the candy of my childhood.
Just as we were walking out the door, that’s when I heard it.
It wasn’t a Halloween scream.
Or an old-time song.
It was…a Christmas carol!
I turned to my left, and there they were. Christmas decorations…
Another bunch of Christmas items for sale. At the end of September.
I couldn’t believe it.
My husband was right; September Christmases seem to be the new norm.
I think I need to lie down. Wake me when it’s the day after Thanksgiving. Then, I’ll be ready.
Michele Wojciechowski, when she’s not sticking her fingers in her ears and saying, “La la la la la…I can’t hear you,” when Christmas music is playing in September, writes “Wojo’s World®” from her home office.
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