Hello friends and family and
happy Monday. In the spirit of optimism as we head into the onslaught of the
holiday season I would like to offer a few positive suggestions to help you all
handle what is coming and to deflect all those things that wreck your mood and
threaten your sanity.
First let us
deal with the ever earlier creeping of the holidays. Valentine’s Day selling
and promotions now start in December. Easter stuff is on the shelves by New
Year’s Day. Fourth of July begins on Good Friday. Labor Day sales start the day
after Memorial Day. Halloween candy and costumes hit the shelves on June 3rd.
Thanksgiving turkey sales begin around July 4th. Christmas sales
start three days after that. Who drives these seasonal encroachments? The quick
answer is retailers. But retailers aren’t the real problem. The real problem is
consumers. If, when a bunch of retailers try moving the holiday ball down the
field before the play starts, and consumers not only allow the moves but
approve of them by buying a bunch of advertised junk, then the retailers will
try another move. And if the consumers bite again the cycle will go on and on.
Personally I
haven’t bought presents, wrapping paper and stuff for Christmas of 2012 yet.
That’s not on my schedule until 2016. I’m a consumer. I have that kind of
power. And you do too. So quit buying early. The retailers will stop pushing so
hard and the holidays will return to their proper places on the calendar.
Now let’s
listen (or read) while I tell you about this so called war on Christmas, or war
on religion. Ignore such media hype. Go to the church of your choice. Sing
hymns, say prayers. No one is stopping you. Would you like to attend a mosque
or synagogue? Head on out and do it. This is still America . I repeat, no one will stop
you. Do you live in a predominately Christian community where crèches and other
symbols are present? Does it bother you? Get over it. Americans are allowed to
display symbols of their religion in their homes and businesses. The Christians
won’t object if someone of another faith hangs a holiday sign on their heathen
porch. They know the rules. They may get all dressed up in dark suits and knock
on your door and try to get you to see how cool their particular brand of
belief is. But you’re free to politely tell them to go away. It’s America . We can
choose this stuff. And we can choose to ignore it. Of course pushing religion
into the arena of political decision making is a trickier problem. I’m for
keeping it in the churches, mosques, synagogues, homes and even business
places. If business people are not worried about losing business when they do
too much proselytizing then that’s their right. We can shop at a different
dollar store down the street. So enough
about this “war” business. We’ve got bigger things to worry about.
Which is why
I’m worried about Thanksgiving Day shopping. Sure I’m all for personal choices
as you’d know if you read the paragraph above. But shopping on Thanksgiving Day
is just wrong and it should be avoided at all costs. Believe me friends, if you
don’t buy that blender for Aunt Carol or that 82” big screen TV for your dear
old dad at WalMart when it opens at six in the evening on Thanksgiving you
won’t be missing out. I guarantee that those items will be available somewhere
on Friday. You might have to pay a couple bucks more, but you will have spent a
little more time with Aunt Carol and dad and they’ll appreciate that as much as
those gifts. So stay home with your friends and family on Thanksgiving.
Okay. I’m done
thinking about holiday stuff now and I’m going to slip back into my hermit
mode. And keep the doggone Christmas music off. It’s too early. Now have a fine
day.
