When is “Early” TOO early?

Jingle Bells….Jingle Bells…..Jingle all the way…
Box stores sell…. Christmas Bells…..
3 months way to early…..

Were you singing that tune?  The words seem appropriate as once again…the first sighting of Christmas in a national store locally is a box store in South Ionia…….

As I write this we are more than a month yet from HALLOWEEN!

My parents, rest their souls used-to always say that Christmas came earlier every year in stores, but…if that were true, it’d be like living in Frankenmuth year round by now…(not that there’s anything wrong with that, they have mastered MARKETING better than some towns I know)….and every store would start Christmas displays about January 31st for the following year.  However, my father did say that one time, he bent down to buy some Halloween Candy and then turned around and was face to face with Santa Claus.  Looks like that’s possible these days….so maybe things have not changed.

I’m like Scrooge  Not the mean one, the one who LEARNED by the end of the story,.  I do love Christmas, but as the saying in the play from Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” goes, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year long”…..and that’s more “me.”  If it’s not buying Christmas gifts at antique and thrift stores year round for their uniqueness and for their “Wow” quality when I find something I think is perfect for someone,  I’m usually finding ways to fill a need in my circle of friends, or doing something that says, “Hey, you’re important to me!”   THAT is part of honoring Christmas year-round….just a small part, I might add.

But Halloween chasing Christmas literally in the store?  Chasing the dollars so early?   I find it THIS early to be a bit distasteful……I mean, come on….whatever happened to the  “Christmas Rush” sung in a famous seasonal song?  Part of the FUN is the seasonal shopping spurt….

So, when IS Christmas in stores TOO early?  I’ve yet to see a Christmas ad on TV, but then I watch Youtube, Paramount Plus, and Hulu the most…..they’re not likely to get as many holiday ads as the local affiliate stations are.
Let me know your thoughts on seeing two (ore more) “seasonal” areas in one store at one time when the actual holidays are both far apart, and far AWAY yet.

Meanwhile, who will win in the inflatable’s race…..Frankenstein’s Monster, or Santa?

Merry Halloween, Happy Christmas, and let’s go put some Candy Corn strings on the tree, shall we?

-Carlyle