Has the Holiday spirit popped up for any of you dopers? It’s sort of difficult down here in sweaty southern Florida to feel the seasons change (other than “wet” or “dry”). But we had a week of somewhat drier, cooler weather and it actually got me anticipating the holiday season. I could walk outside at night in something almost approaching crisp instead of the wet-blanket grapple of 80% humidity. It helps that some of the stores have their autumn displays out (especially Williams-Sonoma, which has that white-bread, New England thanksgiving vibe down perfect). It’s sort of sad that I have to rely on the retail establishment to supply my seasonal cues. But we are woefully lacking natural ones here.
So has anything started you down the path to the holidays? If so, what?
Me too. They’ve already put up some big snowflake decorations at the upscale shopping areas, despite is still getting up to 90 degrees some days. Too soon, man! Wait until Halloween is over!
I am, because I intend to make a bunch of stuff for Christmas this year, so I need to get working on it now. A tiny village of cardboard houses, new stockings, a tree skirt, an advent calendar, and Christmas crackers for everyone. Plus, the annual pair of handknit socks for my husband.
Exactly. October is time for Halloween and Oktoberfest season as well as a general harvest-festival season. As soon as it ends, Thanksgiving is in the air. October is the start of holiday season. So what’s with the outrage?
To follow up on my Scroogishness, my Mom is already shopped for (Rod McEuen album WHICH SHE ASKED FOR, interior decorating book, and some CDs from a local joker I think she’ll like.) This is more out of necessity than spirit, though–I get through the gift-giving financial strain by pacing myself.
Am I in a Christmas mood? No, not really. Am I starting to work on Christmas? Oh, yeah!
I usually aim to have all the shopping & wrapping and card writing done before December. Then all that is left is the baking (which I am actually doing only one week before this year).
The reason I do all of that first is so that I can enjoy the month of December without having a cloud of all the things I have to do hanging over my head. Then, by the time the 25th rolls around, I can be full of the spirit (and not stressed and/or dog tired).
Egg-ZACK-ly. I’ve started Christmas shopping already to spread out the expenditure and because going to malls in December is a particular kind of hell, but I ain’t gettin’ jingle-belly yet. Hell, if my family decided to call off Christmas and just spend a weekend at a resort in the mountains or something instead, I’d be so fine with that.
The outrage is that Christmas is in December. And late December at that. Anyone who even thinks about it before around December 10th will incur my wrath. Society (most retailers I suppose) have been trying to get people thinking about holiday shopping earlier and earlier for the past 50 years. October is not part of the start of any “holiday season” any more than Labor Day is.
Halloween is not a holiday? Little kids don’t wait with anticipation for it? Charlie Brown doesn’t have a special about it? People don’t have parties and drink themselves silly for it? How does it not meet the definition of a holiday? Like I posted upthread: Halloween is a natural segue to Thanksgiving and thence Christmas. It’s certainly the start of the holidays.
Also, where in the OP is Christmas mentioned? I said “Holiday season.”
I’m in the mood for Halloween and this year I turn 40 the following day, so that’s going to be fun.
Thanksgiving is always low key for me. I may do dinner for the interns I work with and have them over.
I do a Toys for Tots fundraiser for the FL Keys each year, so I end up thinking about Christmas starting in August or Sept. By the time my event is over, I am done with everything I’m doing for the holidays, as I do that in lieu of gift exchanges and such. It’s wonderfully relaxing just enjoying holiday parties and such with no pressure knowing that the part I participate in is over and has already given me the warm fuzzies.
“The Holidays” has always been Christmas/New Years for as long as I can remember (I’m 63). Perhaps Thanksgiving could be included, since that’s the kickoff for Christmas shopping. Halloween is not now, nor has it ever been a ‘holiday’. Octoberfest is a fall celebration originating in Europe and is only celebrated weakly in the US. Getting all maudlin about Christmas in October is just stupid.
