I have my block of the month done well before the December quilt guild meeting. I'd love to win some of these blocks. I love the color, the fabrics, and the snowball design.
Well, November is halfway over. I can't believe how fast this year has flown by. I do believe Time has speeded up in the past few years. I know it's supposed to go faster the older one gets, but this is ridiculous. I can hardly get the calendar page turned until the month is over and it's time to turn another page.
And it doesn't help that retailers and television rush the holidays so. Christmas ads before Halloween is just a bit much for me. And here it is mid-November, and people are already putting up Christmas trees. What about Thanksgiving? I guess we'll eventually just cut that useless holiday out altogether. Is it because retailers can't make a pot full of money from a holiday where there's little opportunity to sell anything except Butterballs and pumpkin pies? That's not going to help anybody's bottom line much, is it?
Well Thanksgiving happens to be one of my favorite holidays, and I wish we could save Christmas until at least the week after Thanksgiving. But I'm sure that soon, the great celebration of consumerism will be a year-long event, taking the place not only of Thanksgiving, but also of the Fourth of July, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, and every other holiday. Is that why some people tell us now that we can't say "Happy Holidays" anymore? We can acknowledge no holiday except Christmas? Retailers don't want there to be any other holiday except the one where they're able to make oodles of money selling people useless things that they don't need.
Well, I hate it all. I remember when Christmas used to be a wonderful celebration that took place in late December, with family and friends and good things to eat--and maybe a present or two if one was lucky. I remember when Christmas did not require credit cards or consumer loans, when going to church to worship the Baby Jesus and celebrate his arrival was a main event of the season, as was singing hymns that one heard only for a couple of weeks a year, not from late August on. Now Christmas is all about Black Friday and buying stuff and I just hate it. I'm sorry. Just call me Scrooge McGrinch.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE.
This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.
On 11/16/2013, Helen said ...
Amen!
On 11/16/2013, Sandy said ...
I'm right there with you Susan. If I close my eyes, I can still smell the fruit bags our church would give everybody after the Christmas play. Oh, they smelled so good and there was always a candy cane inside. Makes me sad to see what they've done with the season we celebrate the birth of our Savior. Commercialism stinks as far as I'm concerned. Bah humbug here too.
On 11/16/2013, Sue, the Florida Farm Girl said ...
Can I hate it right along with you? Drives me crazy. The program at church was always the highlight.
On 11/16/2013, Mary Jayne said ...
Double AMEN!!
On 11/16/2013, Jan said ...
I agree completely! Rushing Christmas beginning in August is just such a turn-off! The stores have had stuff out for months! It puts me in a non-buying mood to see all the Christmas things out when summer hasn't even ended!! ugh.
On 11/16/2013, Jan said ...
Preach it, Sister!! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
On 11/17/2013, Alison said ...
I have been reading and enjoying your blog for a while now, but I haven't commented before, don't really know why. But I wanted to let you know that you are so right. I am trying to keep things special and Christian and non-consumerist in my own family, good to know that there are others out there who feel the same way! Hello to the cats and dogs too from England!
On 11/17/2013, Andrea said ...
Wow, right there with you sister!!!! Christmas was the church potluck where the kids all got a paper bag with some candies, nuts and an orange in it, driving to Granny's after breakfast on Christmas morning to see all the relatives, the gift exchange in the classroom at school (boys bring a boy gift, girls a girl gift), but the one memory that sticks out in my mind is my sister and I going to bed on Christmas Eve and hearing mom's sewing machine running late into the night. It's all changed so much but I don't get pulled into it at all. And Happy Thanksgiving to you and all your wonderful readers!
On 11/17/2013, Denise in PA said ...
Hear, hear, Susan! You said it perfectly!
On 11/17/2013, Julie in WA said ...
Yep, and out here in the Seattle area stores are open on Thanksgiving in an attempt to get the big customers before Black Friday. Retail employees can no longer spend Thanksgiving with family; instead they must deal with rude greedy customers who should also be home with families being thankful for what they already own. I was happy to see that Jo-Anns took a stand and said their sale would start on Friday.
On 11/17/2013, Wanda D. said ...
This is one of your all-time best-ever posts! Thanks for expressing one of my pet peeves.
On 11/17/2013, Linda said ...
Oh, I agree. Absolutely! You are not a Scrooge. You are a wise woman.
On 11/19/2013, Wendy said ...
Thanksgiving certainly does not stand out as it should among the holidays being crammed between Halloween and Christmas as it is. I believe our state (MA) just made it illegal for retailers to be open on Thanksgiving Day so at least Black Friday can't start until 12a the day after. I suppose that is progress but I am having a hard time seeing it that way. What has happened to the whole essence of the holiday for giving thanks? Don't even get me started on Christmas...
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