Saturday, November 1, 2014

I hear those sleigh bells jingling- Already?

So it's Nov 1 which means Americans are now firmly divided into 2 camps:

Early Christmas preppers or Touch Not Thanksgivings hallowed season nor tread on thy turkey's feathers followers.

I've noticed a trend the last few years - and no it isn't that stores put out Christmas tress earlier and earlier.

It's the facebook shaming of anyone who doesn't feel Christmas needs to "wait it's turn " until the last piece of pumpkin pie has been shoved into the overfilled belly of a football watching, loosened belt man.

It's gone from people lamenting early decorators ( who wants to decorate in snow and ice , maybe they're just practical) to an all out facebook shame war with people "taking back Thanksgiving" by declaring all those eager for Christmas as buying Into the material consumer side of the holiday forgetting the spirit of the season and also being the most ungrateful lot because " they're skipping over the holiday of thanks for the holiday of getting".


I'm going to fire the first shot in this war right now.

First: Thanksgiving is mostly taken care of in the celebrating form in early fall. Around here people are putting fall decorations out in August now which sets me into a whirlwind of emotion. For me fall = winter is coming = the sads bc I hate being cold.

So people have been decorated for weeks or months prior to thanksgiving - what's there to do?

2. It's a day about eating turkey- again, what is there to do except for a couple days before . Maybe you spend the month in therapy in preparations for family battles that will rage during stuffing consumption but that's an entirely different post.

There is just not much to do for Thanksgivng in terms of celebration.

3.  It's kind of a made up holiday. Hate to burst bubbles but your history teacher was a lying liar who lies. Thanksgiving didn't go down at all like you learned as you made paper pilgrim and Indian hats . Also, it's not been a standing tradition since pilgrim days.

Abraham Lincoln instituted it as a day of thanksgiving after all the country had been through in the Civil War.

For that I can endorse it.

Now on to dismissing all the anti "early Christmas" brouhaha.

1. No. It's not too early for Christmas things to be out.

Retailers put stuff out a SEASON AHEAD. Don't believe me? Christmas costs will be on sale Jan and feb the coldest months of the year clearing them out and swim suits will be hitting the floor. 

Backpacks and back to school junk come out just a couple weeks after kids get out of school for the summer.

It's the same for Christmas! After Fourth of July, fall stuff is out and after September the Christmas stuff arrives.

It's not some premeditated anti thankfulness campaign- it's how stores operate. They can't help that fall is jam packed with holiday goodness. They aren't going to wait until the end of November to put out things for a holiday that's less than a month away. 

Go eat a turkey leg and calm the heck down.

2. People decorate early bc they don't like frostbite or falling off icu roofs. That's it. 

3.  Three - four weeks isn't long enough to celebrate the awesomeness of Christmas. There are a million great Christmas songs , people have to listen to them all and so some who are very dedicated to the cause have to begin earlier than others. They can't fit them in any other way.

And there's too much rich tradition and fun surrounding Christmas to jam it all squarely in December. It's a beautiful holiday that brings joy and happiness and so why stifle that? So much fun to be had who cares if people start in nov? Basically you've been celebrating Thanksgiving stuff all fall already with fall decorations so why can't Christmas cut Into nov?

4. Really Christians- (bc that's who I usually see making the "people aren't grateful posts") - Really? You're going to balk and complain and name call about people being excited about a holiday centered on your Saviors birth? Let's step back take a seat and rethink that move. 

Even if some people "don't get it" it's an amazing time of year where goodwill to men is displayed, people are happier kinder (except in Walmart) and it's a time where the name of Jesus is displayed and on more lips than any other time of year. It's also a time where people are more likelu to stumble into a church and hear about this once newborn King.

Let's lay off the Christmas celebration bashing this year ok?

I just can't abide the whole these people aren't grateful argument this year- at all. I'm probably going to find need to comment so I'll just be dropping this blog link on y'all's fb posts when you decide to declare Christmas enthusiasts the most ungrateful lot . 

How can people who love to listen to sub par music (sorry while I'm defending you, I'm not wholly into Christmas music) about jingling bells and holly filled with happiness and joy be ungrateful? It seems to me theyve got it and are grateful for the proper things while those fierce turkey defenders grumbling against those who don't celebrate as they do need to take a page from their page and just enjoy - whatever holiday you choose. And for how long. 

So Christmas enthusiasts , Halloween is over, deck the halls, jingle your bells and fa la la la to your hearts content. And if someone says  you aren't a thankful person bc you aren't celebrating thanksgiving alone for the whole of nov- sing a little louder and throw tinsel at them. 

And a side note- if you're local to me and want to really celebrate Thankfulness this thanksgiving season by helping someone instead of just grinching out the Christmas fanatics- MSG me. One of my fb friends started a Thanksgiving blessing program where numerous community families get full thanksgiving meals. I can get you info to help!