It seems kind of silly to start talking about Christmas before Halloween

[Setra]

And yet a lot of people seem to be doing it.

Seriously.. they were doing it in SEPTEMBER. They were mentioning Christmas in commercials and whatnot.

It's getting kinda ridiculous, I mean each year it seems Christmas Season or whatever you want to call it starts earlier.

And by the time it's December I'm already sick of it.

Any thoughts?

My own: Bah Humbug

[Toastkart]

It's what happens when you work in retail, especially in a craft store. We start getting our first christmas items in mid July.

Unfortunately, we also started playing christmas background music on saturday, which really drove me nuts because the normal elevator stuff is bad enough, the christmas elevator music is even worse.

The thing about it is, most businesses claim that they get 50+% of their profits during the christmas season. Whether it's true in every case or not, I don't know, but I don't see myself making any more money when my company starts making better profits, even though the workload has tripled or quadrupled.

[Pyro]

@^That's horrible! I can't stand Christmas music even in December, but in an elevator in October. Its like your own personal hell.

[SurlySeraph]

*insert generic rant about the commercialization of Christmas here*

Yes, the early "Christmas season" bothers me. It very much bothers me that the spirit of the holiday has progressed from "Let's celebrate this day as a symbol of goodwill to all men" to "Let's spend this day giving each other stuff" to "Let's buy our children the most expensive things we can find" to "Me wants more shinies than what you gave me last year."

The Christmas "season" should not start until December. Christmas TV programming should not start before Christmas Eve. Christmas shopping should not start. As a matter of fact, there's a link I need to find...

[A Rainy Knight]

I agree with Surly on this. December 1 is the first day, in my opinion, of the Christmas season. I greatly enjoy that season, but it doesn't seem as special if it's four months long.

[Setra]

I agree, it should start in December. Heck if you squeezed it into two weeks I might actually be able to enjoy it.

Instead it just seems to get very very tiring.

The only joy left in Christmas I find is Christmas day itself, sitting with family.. sipping hot chocolate, and listening to Bing Crosby.

[Cyrano]

Ah! The Christmas Season! I love it to death so hard, so hard that it is loved to bits and those bits are themselves shattered into tinier bits and then crushed into diamonds from the love, that I then give to Christmas as a Valentine's gift.
That is because, this December, I will be in Israel, far, far away from any crappy jingles or commercialistic crap. Or at least, western commercialistic crap.

[Brickwall]

The thing about it is, most businesses claim that they get 50+% of their profits during the christmas season.

Eventually that will have to be true, because the Christmas season will take up 50+% of the year. :smallamused:

I never liked the Season to be Jolly in general. Getting gifts is okay, but the whole deal is a hassle, and I don't see much extra "good will" during the holidays. :smallsigh:

[Baerdog7]

Hear hear! Not only is the "Christmas Season" starting too early, it seems like it's starting earlier every year.

Actually, that could eventually work in our favor. Eventually the start of the "Christmas Season" would be so early that it would actually be on time. :smalltongue:

In my opinion, the start of the Christmas Season is right after Thanksgiving. After all, that's what the Santa Claus at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is supposed to symbolize. As long as NBC doesn't start showing It's a Wonderful Life before Thanksgiving, I think I'll be ok.

[Cyrano]

Hear hear! Not only is the "Christmas Season" starting too early, it seems like it's starting earlier every year.

Actually, that could eventually work in our favor. Eventually the start of the "Christmas Season" would be so early that it would actually be on time. :smalltongue:

In my opinion, the start of the Christmas Season is right after Thanksgiving. After all, that's what the Santa Claus at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is supposed to symbolize. As long as NBC doesn't start showing It's a Wonderful Life before Thanksgiving, I think I'll be ok.

I was going to yell at you for a few hours, but then I remembered American Thanksgiving isn't in October.

[Lemur]

In my opinion, the start of the Christmas Season is right after Thanksgiving. After all, that's what the Santa Claus at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is supposed to symbolize. As long as NBC doesn't start showing It's a Wonderful Life before Thanksgiving, I think I'll be ok.

It's at times like this you watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas"

[Tarnag40k]

Personally, the commercialization of christmas has always meant one things for me, mor eheadaches.

more traffic, more shopping, more crowds, more annoying kids running around screaming because they want something NOW instead of waiting for it, more people worrying. etc.


Also the holiday season is the time of year when the most suicides happen, most monetary debt occurs, most hostile home incursions happen (domestic violence), and most robbery crimes and commercial fraud happens.

And all this happens for one day where you wake up and say, "wow it's finally christmas, now wheres my coffee." Seriously, after dealing with ll the **** the season throws at you, and then all the repeats of rudoulph or however you spell his names song going off, you get sick of the damn thing before it's over.


Also I know that certain stores (indivualy not whole chains) take the day to next three days after to try to keep from losing so much money. that's also where this whole, "store credit" return deals come from.

[karmuno]

Well if it's so silly than why do even bring it up? :smalltongue:

[thubby]

you'd be surprised how many parents start their Christmas shopping this early. could you imagine if everyone only had 25 days to shop? that would be on the level of football stadium riots and time square new years in its insanity.

[Setra]

Personally, the commercialization of christmas has always meant one things for me, mor eheadaches.

more traffic, more shopping, more crowds, more annoying kids running around screaming because they want something NOW instead of waiting for it, more people worrying. etc.


Also the holiday season is the time of year when the most suicides happen, most monetary debt occurs, most hostile home incursions happen (domestic violence), and most robbery crimes and commercial fraud happens.

And all this happens for one day where you wake up and say, "wow it's finally christmas, now wheres my coffee." Seriously, after dealing with ll the **** the season throws at you, and then all the repeats of rudoulph or however you spell his names song going off, you get sick of the damn thing before it's over.


Also I know that certain stores (indivualy not whole chains) take the day to next three days after to try to keep from losing so much money. that's also where this whole, "store credit" return deals come from.
You sound like me when I'm complaining to my friends.

You should try shouting Bah Humbug... it helps and a lot of the times people actually leave you alone.. especially if you yell it in their faces.

[thubby]

ah yes, holiday burnout.
i personally find a new book to read (something long as i tend to devour books when I'm not otherwise occupied). or a videogame (which are plentiful) should that fail.
that way, the big day is actually a big deal.

[Icewalker]

You people need to listen to Tom Lehrer's song about the commercialization of Christmas. He's got some hilarious music...

lyrics
Christmas time is here, by golly,
Disapproval would be folly.
Deck the halls with hunks of holly,
Fill the cup and don't say when.

Kill the turkeys, ducks and chickens,
Mix the punch, drag out the Dickens.
Even though the prospect sickens,
Brother, here we go again.

On Christmas Day you can't get sore,
Your fellow man you must adore.
There's time to rob him all the more
The other three hundred and sixty-four.

Relations, sparing no expense, 'll
Send some useless old utensil,
Or a matching pen and pencil.
("Just the thing I need, how nice!")

It doesn't matter how sincere it is,
Nor how heart felt the spirit,
Sentiment will not endear it,
What's important is the price.

Hark, the Herald Tribune sings,
Advertising wondrous things.
God rest ye merry merchants,
May ye make the Yuletide pay.
Angels we have heard on high,
Tell us to go out and buy!

So, let the raucous sleigh bells jingle,
Hail our dear old friend Kris Kringle,
Driving his reindeer across the sky.
Don't stand underneath when they fly by.

[Baerdog7]

It's at times like this you watch "The Nightmare Before Christmas"

Also a good one which actually does a good job of showing that Christmas isn't about the presents or the guy in the big red suit. It's about making sure you scare the **** out of as many people as you can on Halloween. :smallcool:

[The Prince of Cats]

Well, it's not Christmas for me until I see the Coke advert... I am sure I am not alone in this, but there is something about that song.

In all honesty, I keep a lot of the silliness at arm's length. Most of my Christmas shopping gets done in late November through a number of online shops (ThinkGeek FTW!) or on Christmas Eve about an hour before the shops close. Ever since I first tried that trick, only to find no queues and no hassle, it has become my back-up plan.

As for the music, there is always going to be the cheese. When I used to work in a shop, we managed to get a collection with the Pogues and a few other less-cheesy ones. Yes, we got that gods-awful 'Last Christmas', but you can't win 'em all. (If I end up working in a shop again, I will take a copy of HPLHS's Very Scary Solstice...)

[Emperor Ing]

rrgh. Three years ago, at the end of october, people are talking about christmas. PEOPLE!!! WHAT ABOUT THANKSGIVING?!? okay, so only we celebrate that (i think), but still, i agree with you sentra, except that by december im sick of it. In my opinion, by december, the promise of christmas, and the hype, is extremely legit. The good time. PEOPLE!!! We all want christmas in july, but theres hundreds of stories of people who wished it was christmas every day. They always end with the extreme want of undoing the wish.

Lets just keep christmas where it belongs. December 25th.

[Castaras]

I had to start thinking about Christmas in July!

That's when we got our scripts for the christmas play I'm in. Kinda annoying when you have Silent Night running through your head all Summer...:smallsigh:

[Arang]

I like Christmas. I don't see why it shouldn't last longer.

[The Vorpal Tribble]

lol, naw, it's not getting nearer each year. An old Charlie Brown easter cartoon makes fun of it as they go in to buy eggs and they are marveling that the christmas decorations are already up.

But yeah, as much as I love the holiday, music and all, the Christmas season starts in December. Any earlier is just pointless.

[CrazedGoblin]

Well, it's not Christmas for me until I see the Coke advert... I am sure I am not alone in this, but there is something about that song


haha i know what you mean, the place i work at has started putting up christmassy stuff already

[Trog]

It's not the holiday season till it snows at least. And I refuse to acknowledge it until after Thanksgiving usually. Unless you count the stress of figuring out how to manage the money throughout the holiday season. That began weeks ago.

[CrazedGoblin]

It's not the holiday season till it snows at least. And I refuse to acknowledge it until after Thanksgiving usually. Unless you count the stress of figuring out how to manage the money throughout the holiday season. That began weeks ago.

when is thanksgiving anyway? and im still not sure what it is, is it saying thanks to the land or something?

[Trog]

when is thanksgiving anyway? and im still not sure what it is, is it saying thanks to the land or something?

*Trog pokes his head in wearing a pilgrim hat.* Well Thanksgiving is on Nov. 22nd this year. It's Turkey day. You eat Dire Turkey and feast upon the deadly Cranberry Mold (CR...er...well a lot. Don't ask). Then we all fight over the magic wishbone of the Dire Turkey.... and eat pumpkin pie.

*points to hat*

The hat is to yak into after you've stuffed yourself.

[CrazedGoblin]

*Trog pokes his head in wearing a pilgrim hat.* Well Thanksgiving is on Nov. 22nd this year. It's Turkey day. You eat Dire Turkey and feast upon the deadly Cranberry Mold (CR...er...well a lot. Don't ask). Then we all fight over the magic wishbone of the Dire Turkey.... and eat pumpkin pie.

*points to hat*

The hat is to yak into after you've stuffed yourself.

sounds tasty hehe:smallbiggrin:

[Serpentine]

Ah Christmas... Surprisingly, I haven't noticed anything yet. I have bought a present for my grandmother, though, and I already know what that side of the family's doing: South West Rocks. Again. :smallsigh: Another week, either sharing a crappy little cabin with my dad because they forgot to include him in the reservations, or shunted into a bit of space left over after my cousins take up all the beds etc. in the (admittedly pretty nice) little townhouse things, a week of being hot and testy and going down to a crummy beach and occasionally going fishing with the guys and not catching anything and having to put up with the youngest cousin having hissy fits and being taunted by my Auntie Nell and getting gifts that, although often quite interesting, indicate that my family doesn't know me at all, and being jealous of my cousins because they actually have stuff in their Santa Sacks just like every year, and flies, and bad food, and Oh! RSL Clubs :smallsigh:
I like Christmas. I just wish it as fun as it used to be. I'd almost consider arranging to have it at my place, but who wants to be in smelly inland Armidale in the middle of summer when you can be at the beach? Even if that beach is South West Rocks. Again :smallsigh:

Yay for rants!

[Amotis]

lol serp. *pat pat* it's okay.

christmas is so much cooler once your start spending it with "family" of your own. friends, parties, and hugs all around. its fun and carefree. it's an urban snowland! and i wuve it. :smalltongue:

[Lt.Cook]

I personally belive that the christmas season does not begin until after Thanksgiving. I think also that when stores have christmas stuff out before Halloween Day they put it up way to early. There are not a whole lot of thanksgiving decorations tht stores carry anyway. But The critmas season doesn't start until After thanksgiving. I also think that the true meaning behind christmas is lost in all the ads for stuff and songs and things. I don't think people even hear the words to the songs anymore. they just sing it out of tradition. christmas is about the birth of Christ and if you aren't religous, It's still the season of Giving gifts to others and spending time with loved ones. I personally take more joy in giving gifts to my family members than getting gifts.