An Idea Gone Awry
So, like many other people, I am just irritated at the overwhelming amount of Christmas stuff being shoved in my face. It actually started 3 weeks before Halloween. Not so much commercials but stuff in the stores. I would look for a Halloween section and see a 6′x6′ area for it next to two complete aisles of Christmas stuff. Since Nov 1 my tv has been threatened with it’s life.
So in my effort to enjoy an upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I decided that I would unfollow and boycott anyone touting Christmas stuff on Twitter. Now I understand that some of them target international people as well….I just have the option of not seeing it in my stream. This has ticked off a few and that is ok. They have a right to post their ads and I have the right to get rid of it from eyesight.
So I wanted to take this a step further. I decided to boycott any products or stores touting Christmas sales. I apparently didn’t think this through. It started with Glade. Well that’s not too bad, I don’t buy their stuff anyway. But then came Target and Kohl’s. Now Walmart is on the list (oh the irony since I applied for a job there!). QVC joined today but they won’t miss me either. I am starting to see that I am going to run out of options to shop for, not that I need much anyway since I shop all year long.
It just bothers me that people get so caught up in the commercialism. It’s not like I hear anybody talking about what they are going to make for Christmas dinner or planning a caroling event in their neighborhood. It’s all about what am I going to get Junior that will make him think I love him. Christmas is so much more than just presents. Obviously if your religious it has a spiritual resonance. But for the non-religious it’s about being with family and having fun. I have always made our Yule/Christmas celebrations a month long event with crafts and good deeds. We keep presents to a minimum. I try to make memories for my kids. I grew up in a home with materialistic people. None of my memories were about being with them or getting presents…..all of my memories are about spending time with the family members who made it special. The meals and the time we spent engaging with each other (which did not include my immediate family as they are lacking in the ability to engage with each other).
I think if more people spent time planning what they were going to do to enjoy the holiday instead of what they were going to buy, I could handle all the Christmas hub bub. Until then I am going to continue whining while I plan out how to stake out the best spot at our Holiday Parade on the 21st. I need the best spot so we can see it all AND get a hold of hot cocoa quickly.
I’ve always been able to tune-out the over commercialism of it all. It use to bother me but hey to each his own. I start celebrating the Halloween/Samhain/Thanksgiving/Yule/Christmas season all mish-mashed together beginning October 1st because that is my favorite holiday! (yes all of them together 10-1 to 12-31 is just 1 big celebration to me, LOL (I like to celebrate!).
People do get caught up in the materialistic part of it all and it is sad because those miss out on all of the amazing moments of the season with loved ones and of course for themselves.
Sounds like your town’s holiday parade is a big to do! Ours not so much but it’s still fun and they end with fireworks!
LOL I imagine part of your ability to tune it out is due to your job. I shouldn’t let it bother me and that is one of the things I am working on. Some days it just gets too much when I am asked for the 1000th time what I am getting the kids. I rather think about ways to make the entire season fun. It also doesn’t help when I go in a store and everyone is so unhappy while they are shopping. If it’s not enjoyable, why do it? Ya know?
The presents are just expected in this day and age, but really they don’t matter. On Christmas Eve, yes, I have memories of bringing home tons of presents from my family, but what I really cared about was spending time with all the people I love. We get together to eat good food and have fun. That is what the holidays are about, and those are the memories that will stick with me forever.
I wish more people would talk about those memories! I love rehashing happy family moments.
An Idea Gone Awry…
So, like many other people, I am just irritated at the overwhelming amount of Christmas stuff being shoved in my face. It actually started 3 weeks before Halloween. Not so much commercials but stuff in the stores. I would look for a Halloween section a…
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