Among Friends

[bargainsgirl]

I am already so tired of Christmas.  Sure seams like it all started way earlier this year.  All holidays seem meaningless anymore with all the hoopla and commercialism...

[Miss Pepsi]

It started in June and I love it.  January starts the new year new you stuff and the endless gardening shows.  Not my cup of tea at all.  I really wish they had one Christmas channel.  for me, that would be perfect.

[JYWilliams]

I love the holidays but understand what your saying.

[cjm61]

No matter how early the holiday season starts @bargainsgirl , it would never become "meaningless" for me and many others. I personally need all the time I can get and love all the ideas introduced.

Currently this is right in the middle of my busiest time of the year. My table is covered with my crafts I am making. I already wrapped a couple gifts and am in full force into my Christmas shopping and preparedness. 

No Christmas decorations up yet but I am still in the spirit and can never get too much. There are several shopping channels to choose from, so far there hasn't been an hour that all of them are Christmas themed.

I love the holiday movies already showing, the commercials, the stores, and the shopping channels. Love it.

[THEY CallMe Mr Wilkes]

Virtually all retailers of any sort survive solely due to the holiday season.

"Black Friday" was given that name for good reason.

Without this season there would be very, very few general merchandise retailers in existence. 

Without a successful Christmas-Gift Giving Season, retailers couldn't continue the next 9 calendar months.  It's a tough business often with slim operating margins.  There is nothing until back-to-school and Halloween,  and even those are rarely sufficient. 

It's just basic business common sense. 

[PA Mom-mom]

I LOVE all things Christmas!  CIJ was fun, and I've been watching most of the Christmas shows today. However, since I really don't need anything, I'm watching on mute and have SiriusXM "Holiday Traditions" playing on my Echo.

I  don't start to decorate until just after Thanksgiving, because I love my Fall decorations. But, Christmas is always in my heart.

[Mz iMac]

@bargainsgirl  A few days after Labor Day all X-mas gifts have been mailed out. 

The only gifts left are the wine & liquior gift baskets I send to my children which I will send this upcoming weekend for them to receive the Monday before Christmas which falls on a Thursday.

After Turkey day, I love going to the malls watching everyone running around like chickens w/their heads chopped off, unattended children running around inside the stores while their exasperated parents are running in circles in the mall looking for them, teenage girls wearing extra long spider leg eyelashes, teenage boys looking prison buffed to impress, etc. 

[kaydee50]

@bargainsgirl   I agree.  It almost seems sacrilegious to me with the emphasis on buying and not on the true meaning of what is being celebrated.  I think starting after Labor Day is plenty of time for everyone to do their "shopping."

[rms1954]

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@bargainsgirl wrote:

I am already so tired of Christmas.  Sure seams like it all started way earlier this year.  All holidays seem meaningless anymore with all the hoopla and commercialism...

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If you choose to look at all holidays as meaningless it's because you choose that persepective.  

[Oznell]

All the hyper mercantile promotions surrounding this holiday can be discouraging, you're right, @bargainsgirl .

I find if I purposely ignore all that, turn away, and just focus on the actual meaning of Christmas, the incredible gift that it is, in and of itself, then I can see it as the blessing that it is.

The glitz never has to interfere with our deep appreciation of this most important holiday.