Christmas Redux

It's my first post so why not jump in with something slightly heavy, right?

I cannot, cannot understand proliferation of Christmas in OCTOBER. What?!? Can we please get through Thanksgiving first?!?  I will readily admit that a few years ago, two of our local radio stations started a Christmas music war. Who could be the first to play all caroling, all the time? At that point, I enjoyed the early music, but I've put more thought into it in recent years. Christmas is not technically supposed to start until December 25. That's right folks, Christmas should start on the DAY OF Christmas, not two months before that Madison Avenue has launched. I'm not sure that I can support carols the day after Halloween. I absolutely cannot stand seeing decorations and other items in stores in early October. I know that a certain children's furniture store started with stockings and stuffers that early, as my son and I attend their story time pretty often. A store that for the life of me, I cannot remember, unveiled part of their Christmas regalia in September! I remember thinking that seeing Christmas gear before my end of the month birthday was insane.

And truly? It really is! Why did we get to a point where Christmas is once again more of a pagan holiday than what it was meant to represent. Christ is born to save us all! Why is it okay to reduce that to "a few more shopping days"? I will never understand the change that has occured over the years, and it honestly has made me want to put off decorating or anything Christmas as long as possible. If I can be one of the few holdouts, I will be happy.  I will truly try to experience Advent this year without jumping the gun.  No early carols in this house, and I really think I will delay the tree. However, I will leave the tree up for the TRUE Christmas season- the twelve days AFTER Christmas day. And my presents? I think this year, I will try to keep them as religious-based as possible. It's the reason we have Christmas to begin with, right? My family will receive homemade rosaries and other items to hopefully advance their spiritual lives. That I believe is the REAL reason for the season!