Posts
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| This is one instance when a cookie can not smooth things over. Not even a gingerbread man. |
Retail has gone berserk. Last week, I was simply trying to do was a little birthday shopping for Mr. A&A and squeeze in a few errands. Everywhere I went from Home Depot to Pottery Barn to Williams-Sonoma to Lord & Taylor, Christmas was on full display. Right beside Halloween. In most stores, there was absolutely no sign of Thanksgiving. Little did I know, it's designation of being the hump was the least of my concerns.
Pottery Barn had one table with decorations for Christmas and one for Halloween within mere feet of each other. Thanksgiving was on the other side of the store. Williams-Sonoma was setting up Christmas food displays. Home Depot and Lowes had the all their Christmas decorations out including those enormous stupid blow-up thingies. And at Target, well let's just say it was a traumatic experience for me and a little boy.
I pushed my cart to the very back of the store. What for, I can't even remember now. I came around the corner and wondered if this is what it feels like to be zapped with a taser gun? Halloween was on the left and Christmas was on the right. Thanksgiving was nowhere in sight. Eliminated. There was a woman pushing a little boy in a cart. He was screaming and crying. It was a frightening sight. No wonder kids are becoming more fearful of sitting on Santa's lap. Clearly, they see dead people.
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| Do retailers seriously think doing this will increase revenue? It actually makes me want to avoid shopping altogether which is an awful mindset when the economy is already in such a dismal state. But this really sucks the joy out of each holiday in my opinion. |
If this wasn't depressing enough, my mind wandered to January...will Cupid and the Easter Bunny exchange eggs and hearts dressed in red, white and blue while waving the flag and building sand castles?
Wonder what we should call that holiday? May I suggest, bullsh*t.
First and last photos courtesy of A&A
You said exactly what I was thinking last week as we walked through Target and Christmas was on display. I do not feel it is good marketing.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week and I will start thinking of Christmas decorations around 10 December.
Helen xx
I feel your pain! This meshing of the holidays makes me want to forget them before they've even started. When they put Christmas decorations out before September, while I'm still in flip flops and t-shirts, it makes me feel like by the time December rolls around that I'm already sick of it all. Have we really grown so impatient that we can't wait until each holiday has its day?! I just pulled out my Halloween stuff yesterday, and the Christmas decor will be safely out of sight until after Thanksgiving. My turkeys deserve their day in the sun too! ;-)
ReplyDeleteKat :)
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ReplyDeleteAmen to that! I could not agree more..makes me feel like a I love Lucy episode where she is at the assembly line and she can't keep up and before long things are wildly out of control. Heck, summer was still officially here and lo and behold Halloween decor is everywhere, they shove it down our throat thinking this will make us more conscious to do more buying. For me it won't make one cent of a difference, I will do it when I am good and ready and in fact may even delay the Christmas buying to prove me point (yes I am ridiculously stubborn).
ReplyDeleteEvery holiday needs a "decompression periord" to just chill and stand on their own.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this post but I'm on board with you...WHY THE RUSH? Even in our tiny town they're doing the same thing pushing the holidays before one has even taken place and I hate it, it makes me want to avoid going out not spend money.
ReplyDeleteAs for the sudoku thaat we love, it makes me insane too but I love it!
Just talking about this last night. I told my husband that seeing Xmas decorations near Halloween stresses me out. It seems too pushy, like I have to hurry or something. I feel like screaming "Back Off!"
ReplyDeleteRebecca I wrote a post last week about is it too soon to be thinking of Christmas because I saw my first Christmas commercial and it blew me away. I must admit I love the Holiday season so much I love thinking ahead a preparing for it, but not in a rushed, have to get it done attitude. I learned a long time ago to, "Enjoy the Process!!" Did you see where Nordstroms is not doing any Christmas advertising or decor until Nov. 27th?
ReplyDeleteI think they are pretty smart, it appears more than a few are rebelling against the stores rush to advertise and sell!!! Love your new word, you always make me laugh!! xo Kathysue
This mad rush to shove holidays down our proverbial, pocket book shaped throats has been irking me for a few years now (oooh, I sound riled up)...and the blatant in your face commercialism is gettng worse and worse every year...what can we do??? Your post is a fabulous start, but too many out there are still drinking the 'Halthanksmas' (brilliant!) kool-aid.
ReplyDeleteI miss the magic of anticipating the holidays...and enjoying each one in their special slots of time...holiday revolution anyone?
xo J~
(I believe you've struck a nerve!!) :)
Yes I agree with everyone else - it's a sad state of affairs!! We haven't even lost daylight savings time!! Thank goodness I haven't been out and about in the stores - I'd be a nervous furious wreck!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post and so right!
ReplyDeleteThanks god - here in France there is no xmas decoration in sight so far. Well, at least not here on the country side, the Périgord, but don't know about the 'situation' in Paris.
Again, very humorous post, gave me a big smile! Love the idea when Cupid and Easter bunny building sand castles together in January!
Greetings from South-West of France,
karin
My girlfriends and I were just talking about this very thing! If the economy gets any worst we will be seeing uncle Sam and fireworks on Santa's sleigh soon...grrrr.
ReplyDeleteThis is happening everywhere and there is really no way to miss it.And how dare they skip THANKSGIVING! Shame on them. Stop by, Im having a giveaway :)
ReplyDeleteI completely agree. This trend is teaching us to keep looking farther ahead on the calendar instead of being "in the moment". I love Autumn and Thanskgiving and want to enjoy it without thinking about black Friday and the countdown to Christmas. I was asked to design a Thanksgiving dining room for a local magazine. I had a great time and found lots of things in the stores...a month ago. The photos were just published this week. Maybe they think we are all on the retailers/publishers schedule and always planning one season ahead.
ReplyDeleteReally so sad. Halloween has really gotten out of hand. If people knew the real meaning of it, they might direct their energy elsewhere and look to be thankful for the blessings we have in this country. Don't get me started...
ReplyDeleteGreat post R.
That word is perfect!! My girls and I were trying to think of a word to best describe the mishmash of holidays out there! It's like one big jumbled mess!! Glad to know I'm not the only one who feel this way!
ReplyDeleteAmen!! Christmas music has been playing for weeks in some shops. I hate that, too, but loved your expression of the possibilities of holidays getting crossed. I'm still chuckling.
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