Holiday Rant: Why Can;'t They Let the Seasons Be

"For the Fall of the year is more than three months bounded by an equinox and a solstice. It is a summing up without the finality of year's end."--Hal Borland

I am pretty late today...actually, I am very late.  Had a pretty busy day.  Went once again to see if I could do a little shopping for myself.  This time, I made the manager aware that 90 percent of his customers are us plus sized ladies, so why does he keep all that petite stuff around?  I love the store because it's one of those places where you never know what kind of goodies you will find for a very cheap price, but I'm afraid I might have to find somewhere else to go.  Then, came home and boiled up some beans and afterwards, took a two hour nap. 

I was surprised and more than a little annoyed to see a sign that said 'Forgive our appearance.  We are setting up our Trim a Tree Department'. Trim a Tree?  Hey, store manager, it's early October, or haven't you noticed? Each year Christmas decorations seem to be creeping in earlier and earlier, but in early October?  Hey, what happened to Halloween?  Can we at least enjoy that one first? Sadly, by the time we get close to Christmas, we have been dealing with it so long, that the magic is gone.

When I was a kid, the Christmas stuff didn't come out until after Thanksgiving. The marching bands, the floats, and Santa arriving on his sleigh.  That is how I remember the Christmas season opening...the same day every year; it was at the Thanksgiving Day parade. It seemed special in every way. Not anymore. In school  we would hear the story of the first Thanksgiving over and over again.  Now we go straight from decorating for Halloween and right into Christmas. And where do we find Thanksgiving in the stores?  Well, I guess if one is lucky they can find a few table cloths and place mats mixed with towels and maybe, just maybe, a few pretty dishes. No countdown calendar or blown up turkey, just a subtle reminder the family was coming for a feast and I needed new table coverings.

Matter of fact, I don't recall seeing anything for Halloween in the store today...not one mask, or a costume...not even a piece of candy corn. Nothing of orange in the store...and that means clothing, as well.  Sorry, but that's pretty sad to me especially since Halloween is my favorite time of the year.  Who, may I ask, is going to buy red and green candy kisses to hand out for Halloween, or buys them and leaves them in their cabinets for two months?

Now, please don't get me wrong. I love Christmas, but I love Christmas in December where it belongs.and even well into January. Winter Solstice and all the other reasons culture after culture has decided to have big shindigs in the midst of Earth's sleep is because it is bleak and cold and people needed to cheer themselves and burn things to stay warm. I want to relish in the season of autumn loveliness that is now, not cheapen the one to come.So, please, store managers, take heed. Give us back our seasons.

And thanks for letting me rant.