Too early for Christmas

Our local radio station posted on their FB page a couple of days ago a question about whether or not people felt that it was too early to start getting ready for Christmas. There were a LOT of replies ranging from November 1st was way too early, stores shouldn’t have their decorations and merchandise out already, parents were posting that their children drive them wild with wanting all the toys that are now out, that it leads to commercialism, that it is never too early to get ready for Christmas etc.

I posted that I happen to believe that it is never too early to decorate your home and start preparations. For me I love Christmas and all it represents and not just for the merchandise. I also mentioned that it is up to parents to prepare their children all year about the real meaning of Christmas and why we celebrate it. I mentioned why should I get punished by not being able to go through stores to see what new decorating ideas they have that I might incorporate in our village and trains display that I put up just because other parents don’t want their children to get hyped up with “gimme gimme”.

I think I have a healthy blend of the true meaning of Christmas with the fun of Santa :) We started working on our village yesterday (11th of Nov) as it takes several weeks to get it and the trains that go through it all set up. We always take our grandchildren out on the first Saturday of December to a Christmas tree farm to chop down the perfect tree and then spend the day decorating it. We have a memory tree. Nothing matches on it really. We have ornaments that mean something to us. Each of our chidlren, their spouses and our grandchildren have their own ornaments and they place it on the tree. We have ornaments that one of my husband’s grandmothers made for our children 30 years ago. Each ornament has a memory attached and these are discussed as they are placed on the tree. It gives me time to spend with our grandchildren talking about school, what’s going on in their lives etc.

We always open presents at midnight on the 24th because that was what we decided to do when my husband and I had our first Christmas. Our Christmases are a blend of long time traditions mixed with the Spirit of Christmas.

What are your thoughts? Is it too early to get started for Christmas? Do you think stores should have a “date” that they have to follow to not put out their merchandise? What is your reasoning?

7 thoughts on “Too early for Christmas

  1. I realize you are probably up in Canada so this may not apply, but down here I just wish we could get through Thanksgiving before they start.
    Unfortunately Thanksgiving is not a big retailer’s holiday so they look to push the one that is (Black Friday for example).
    No reason except I just like it that way.

  2. The only thing they have in common is their position on the calendar. I just would like to complete the one before starting the other. But again, no real reason except for I like it that way and that is really not defensible.

  3. I don’t understand why you’re so defensive about it or how you think you are being “punished” because others dislike Christmas stuff being out in the stores so early. You are free to do what you want in your own home, whether the stores are filled with jolly holly or not. I also don’t understand why its such a big deal anyway. But I admit I have a lot more weightier issues going on in my life right now, so it just comes across as silly, especially since you seem to be so emotionally fraught about it.

    Although I do agree with the above poster, its because people in the US prefer to concentrate on one holiday at a time. Its been an unspoken rule here that you don’t start decorating for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. Most people just want to enjoy Autumn and Thanksgiving without Christmas lists, decorating, etc looming over their shoulders. Its visually and mentally jarring, and interrupts the peaceful nature of Fall.

    This however, is not a personal attack on you and your family traditions. Please continue doing whatever makes you happy, and allow others to NOT do what makes them happy. I don’t think your trains will suffer too much if they had to wait a few more weeks, but either way, you win the debate because stores will continue to thrust Christmas goodies out sooner and sooner!

  4. we Canadians also celebrate one holiday at a time.. :) Thanksgiving was done 6 weeks ago which means waiting till November 1st is already taking a long time to wait for me to start. I like to take my time setting things up and decorating. Running around to get everything done in 3 or so weeks makes no sense to me. I like to be done long before Christmas Eve so I can actually sit back and enjoy the WINTER season :)And the trains wouldn’t suffer but I probably would hehehe

  5. I refuse to acknowledge Christmas exists until Dec 1st. Unfortunately, this means that i have missed out on buying most of the nice Chirstmas cards and decorations.. snapped up by people far more eager to get into the swing of things than I am.

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