Yes, this is a offshoot of a thread in "Minor things that bother you", and how many of the posters are upset that they see Christmas items for sale around the end of summer. From what I heard from someone who works in retai, part of this is because the orders have to be placed in late January for the following Christmas season. As the items arrives, they are running out of room in the backroom and have to put the stuff out. And, it would not surprise me if the first Christmas stuff put out was the stuff that didn't sell at the end of last season Christmas season.
From my viewpoint, the only Christmas items that should be sold during the summer is those craft items that are sold at hobby shops. Otherwise, we shouldn't see the Christmas items until early November. Yet, when the 12:01 AM comes on November 1st, thats the time some stations put on the non-stop Christmas music for two months. This Christmas creep, to me, is making Christmas feel less special so that by December 24th comes, we are Chrimstmas-ed out.
One thing that burns me out during the holiday season is the absolute need to get some "something" and trying to come up with a physical item which, more often than not, is a useless bauble that just collects dust. I live in a much smaller house, so I have to be careful on what I collect. Yes, Virginia, there is a difference between a $10 item and a $20 item. For a while I gave DVD/BluRays of movies to my friend, but alas, physical media collecting is a niche hobby now. You are much better gifting me a Amazon, Steam, Lowes, Home Depot, Target or Walmart gift card to help offset the cost a more expensive item that I really need. Yes, I'm told that gift cards (formerly gift certificates) is a sign of "thoughtless giving".
I haven't seen any creep. It's been this way my entire life.
Article on this: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChristmasCreep
This makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
Quote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:13:07 PMThis makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
See, this is the thing. People now largely tolerate the holiday, and no longer celebrate it. Theo when it hits 12:01 on December 26, people can't rip their stuff down and delete the music from their playlists and memories fast enough like it never happened.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:23:15 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:13:07 PMThis makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
See, this is the thing. People largely tolerate it, and no longer celebrate it. Theo when it hits 12:01 on December 26, people can't rip their stuff down and delete the music from their playlists and memories fast enough like it never happened.
I'd say it's fine to leave decorations up until maybe January 2 or 3, but no more.
Quote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:24:21 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:23:15 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:13:07 PMThis makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
See, this is the thing. People largely tolerate it, and no longer celebrate it. Theo when it hits 12:01 on December 26, people can't rip their stuff down and delete the music from their playlists and memories fast enough like it never happened.
I'd say it's fine to leave decorations up until maybe January 2 or 3, but no more.
But I mean, they take it down as quickly as possible because they're just done with it. They're done with two months of being bombarded with ads and music and commercialism, and just want it to go away.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:27:41 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:24:21 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:23:15 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:13:07 PMThis makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
See, this is the thing. People largely tolerate it, and no longer celebrate it. Theo when it hits 12:01 on December 26, people can't rip their stuff down and delete the music from their playlists and memories fast enough like it never happened.
I'd say it's fine to leave decorations up until maybe January 2 or 3, but no more.
But I mean, they take it down as quickly as possible because they're just done with it. They're done with two months of being bombarded with ads and music and commercialism, and just want it to go away.
Yeah. If people put up those decorations in early December, then we'd be more inclined to leave them up until the festivities are actually over, and we wouldn't take them down at the first occasion.
Quote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:24:21 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:23:15 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:13:07 PMThis makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
See, this is the thing. People largely tolerate it, and no longer celebrate it. Theo when it hits 12:01 on December 26, people can't rip their stuff down and delete the music from their playlists and memories fast enough like it never happened.
I'd say it's fine to leave decorations up until maybe January 2 or 3, but no more.
Orthodox Christmas is on the 7th, and many other cultures don't give gifts until the 6th.
Quote from: Molandfreak on October 24, 2024, 10:53:57 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:24:21 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:23:15 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:13:07 PMThis makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
See, this is the thing. People largely tolerate it, and no longer celebrate it. Theo when it hits 12:01 on December 26, people can't rip their stuff down and delete the music from their playlists and memories fast enough like it never happened.
I'd say it's fine to leave decorations up until maybe January 2 or 3, but no more.
Orthodox Christmas is on the 7th, and many other cultures don't give gifts until the 6th.
Heh. Russians loved celebrating both sets of holidays when I lived there.
Many of you invest way too much time pondering over when Christmas season items are sold.
Just one week before Halloween, and I haven't seen much Christmas items anywhere. But that's definitely going to change once the trick-or-treating is over and done, like it's always been.
Quote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:27:41 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:24:21 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:23:15 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:13:07 PMThis makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
See, this is the thing. People largely tolerate it, and no longer celebrate it. Theo when it hits 12:01 on December 26, people can't rip their stuff down and delete the music from their playlists and memories fast enough like it never happened.
I'd say it's fine to leave decorations up until maybe January 2 or 3, but no more.
But I mean, they take it down as quickly as possible because they're just done with it. They're done with two months of being bombarded with ads and music and commercialism, and just want it to go away.
I think you are guilty of reflecting on how you felt about the holiday as a child versus now that you're an adult.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on October 24, 2024, 11:29:32 PMMany of you invest way too much time pondering over when Christmas season items are sold.
Every party's gotta have a pooper...
That said, there's no fighting capitalism, and Christmas is its mascot.
After this election season, I can't tell you how much I look forward to Christmas ads on my television.
So essentially, at least to a small extent, early Christmas displays are practical.
"Christmas creep" has me envisioning some dude dressing up in a Santa suit and sneaking into people's houses to watch the women changing clothes.
Quote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:24:21 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:23:15 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:13:07 PMThis makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
See, this is the thing. People largely tolerate it, and no longer celebrate it. Theo when it hits 12:01 on December 26, people can't rip their stuff down and delete the music from their playlists and memories fast enough like it never happened.
I'd say it's fine to leave decorations up until maybe January 2 or 3, but no more.
We always leave things up and lit through and including January 6 (the traditional date of the Epiphany*). They may stay up for a while after for practical reasons—for example, this coming January 6 is on a Monday, so the stuff will be up at least until the following weekend—but nothing will be lit after that date. Oftentimes we take it all down over the three-day Martin Luther King weekend (obviously not an issue for you in Canada) simply because the extra day makes it a convenient time to do so.
*"The traditional date of the Epiphany" referring to how in the dioceses in the United States the observance of said solemnity has been transferred to the Sunday between January 2 and January 8.
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 25, 2024, 09:33:26 AM"Christmas creep" has me envisioning some dude dressing up in a Santa suit and sneaking into people's houses to watch the women changing clothes.
So basically the Grinch with a modern slant to his crimes?
Quote from: 1995hoo on October 25, 2024, 09:36:38 AMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:24:21 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:23:15 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:13:07 PMThis makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
See, this is the thing. People largely tolerate it, and no longer celebrate it. Theo when it hits 12:01 on December 26, people can't rip their stuff down and delete the music from their playlists and memories fast enough like it never happened.
I'd say it's fine to leave decorations up until maybe January 2 or 3, but no more.
We always leave things up and lit through and including January 6 (the traditional date of the Epiphany*). They may stay up for a while after for practical reasons—for example, this coming January 6 is on a Monday, so the stuff will be up at least until the following weekend—but nothing will be lit after that date. Oftentimes we take it all down over the three-day Martin Luther King weekend (obviously not an issue for you in Canada) simply because the extra day makes it a convenient time to do so.
*looks for the asterisked footnote*
Quote from: Rothman on October 25, 2024, 12:04:08 PMQuote from: 1995hoo on October 25, 2024, 09:36:38 AMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:24:21 PMQuote from: TheHighwayMan3561 on October 24, 2024, 09:23:15 PMQuote from: LilianaUwU on October 24, 2024, 09:13:07 PMThis makes me think... as for why I changed my mind from wanting decorations up ASAP to not wanting anything to do with it until the week before, it's probably because I grew up. Christmas is just another day for me now, maybe with a gift or two. It's still fun to put up the tree, though.
As for the radio, whenever I was the host of my rock show at CFIM-FM, I made sure to be a safe haven of sorts from Christmas music until pretty much the Saturday before.
See, this is the thing. People largely tolerate it, and no longer celebrate it. Theo when it hits 12:01 on December 26, people can't rip their stuff down and delete the music from their playlists and memories fast enough like it never happened.
I'd say it's fine to leave decorations up until maybe January 2 or 3, but no more.
We always leave things up and lit through and including January 6 (the traditional date of the Epiphany*). They may stay up for a while after for practical reasons—for example, this coming January 6 is on a Monday, so the stuff will be up at least until the following weekend—but nothing will be lit after that date. Oftentimes we take it all down over the three-day Martin Luther King weekend (obviously not an issue for you in Canada) simply because the extra day makes it a convenient time to do so.
*looks for the asterisked footnote*
D'oh. Thanks. I forgot. I'll go back and edit it.
Quote from: SEWIGuy on October 25, 2024, 07:07:17 AMAfter this election season, I can't tell you how much I look forward to Christmas ads on my television.
With Christmas starting to seep past Election Day, it's only a matter of time until they cross-pollinate and you get political ads with Donald Trump dressed as Santa and a half-dozen Republican senators as his reindeer.
One thing that I don't miss is the old Ronco commercials (you tell your age if you remember) and then near the end the "Deck the Walls" jingle comes in with "and they make great/perfect Christmas gifts".
I turn on my Christmas decorations and mail my Christmas cards on the Third Sunday of Advent (15 December this year) and turn them off late on Twelfth Night (05 January).
That is the Christmas season for me.
Quote from: ZLoth on October 24, 2024, 09:03:14 PMYes, this is a offshoot of a thread in "Minor things that bother you", and how many of the posters are upset that they see Christmas items for sale around the end of summer. From what I heard from someone who works in retai, part of this is because the orders have to be placed in late January for the following Christmas season. As the items arrives, they are running out of room in the backroom and have to put the stuff out. And, it would not surprise me if the first Christmas stuff put out was the stuff that didn't sell at the end of last season Christmas season.
In my nearest big supermarket we get Christmas stuff just after Easter - they have a seasonal aisle and whenever there's not a big event to fill it up, it tends to be whatever they have in stock that would go there. It's not more than 10ft of shelving, sharing the aisle with summer stuff and general stuff they have on offer. Come mid-May, and the summer stuff pushes the Christmas stuff mostly back to the warehouse. As soon as September begins, both the summer stuff and the Back to School stuff start running down, and ~10 days later the Christmas stuff has a brief 3-week burst of taking up most of the aisle before the Fall festival stuff (Halloween, but also Diwali and Bonfire Night) pushes it back into just a small area. From this morning the amount of Christmas stuff in the store will grow bigger and bigger all the way until a couple of days before Christmas. I can't remember when the decorations go up - as our store is where they set it up properly and bring managers from all over to show them how to do it, some have already been up this year. It's normally not until after Remembrance Sunday, but it might not be until December, even though by the 11th of November that whole seasonal aisle, and quite a few other bits will be Christmas-themed.
It used to be that you could buy tokens during the other 11 months that you cash in in December and get a bonus (this current card-based scheme is similar (https://www.asdagiftcards.com/christmas-savings?srsltid=AfmBOorB5d3yuWjZ2lmR4_ZLz9Y-G7j78PBvOLvxXxmIqkKkrX91Gq_x)) so you spread at least some of the cost of Christmas across the year rather than have a big bill in one month. Now it's more typical to buy the longer-life products slowly over the year to keep cashflow more even - hence why Christmas stuff is on the shelves most of the year: people buy enough of it for it to make sense.
The music won't start until December 1st here. We don't really do Black Friday to have as a start-of-season date, so we get 10-15 extra days over the US before Whamageddon. But I've had Christmas adverts from the start of the month (the main splurge of big ones will be premiering over the next couple of weeks), so while shopping is safe, watching TV isn't!
And I'm sat here with Santa on my screen (watching the Hallowe'en film
The Nightmare before Christmas - and yes, it is Hallowe'en, not Christmas, as quite a few cinemas near me are showing it this evening and none will at Christmas).
I was in Whole Foods a couple of days ago and they already had artificial evergreen boughs with red ribbon decorating the banisters on the staircases. Not even Halloween yet. Bah Humbug.
I am now officially okay with Christmas decorations. Mariah Carey better shut the fuck up, though.
It's a continuation of Halloween decorations appearing in stores in the summer, and the Valentine's Day candy that will be available on Boxing Day.
Now that Halloween is over, bring on the Christmas stuff!
Quote from: Henry on November 01, 2024, 10:55:01 PMNow that Halloween is over, bring on the Christmas stuff!
We used to have a holiday called Thanksgiving in between.
Quote from: kkt on November 01, 2024, 11:36:07 PMQuote from: Henry on November 01, 2024, 10:55:01 PMNow that Halloween is over, bring on the Christmas stuff!
We used to have a holiday called Thanksgiving in between.
That holiday has been replaced by Black Friday, er, Christmas Shop A Month Early Day.
Even in Japan it's a thing. Yesterday at the Tokyo Skytree a Christmas village was well under construction, and then today at lunch Christmas music was on the PA.
Local grocery stores in our area have been selling eggnog since September about a month before Halloween.
My wife bought our Christmas wrapping paper today. Said she got a good deal.
Quote from: MATraveler128 on November 02, 2024, 07:05:29 AMLocal grocery stores in our area have been selling eggnog since September about a month before Halloween.
Stewart's Shops in NY sells eggnog year-round.
Quote from: Henry on November 01, 2024, 10:55:01 PMNow that Halloween is over, bring on the Christmas stuff!
Oh hell no.
I already grabbed the tree from the attic space today at my wife's request. She currently has two of our nieces actively participating in putting the decorations up.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 02, 2024, 02:00:40 PMI already grabbed the tree from the attic spade
Good, you can use the spade to bury it until after Thanksgiving.
https://www.gocomics.com/moderately-confused/2024/10/31
Quote from: GaryV on November 02, 2024, 02:10:03 PMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on November 02, 2024, 02:00:40 PMI already grabbed the tree from the attic spade
Good, you can use the spade to bury it until after Thanksgiving.
https://www.gocomics.com/moderately-confused/2024/10/31
With which spade?
https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/2jA31Q5h34
I gave a little thought to start putting up some minor Christmas stuff like the icicle Lights. Doing other things though so they'll wait. I did put up my a few of my light controllers outside last week.
Right. If people want to decorate and put up the lights, go right ahead. Why should I care?
Quote from: SEWIGuy on November 02, 2024, 05:25:13 PMRight. If people want to decorate and put up the lights, go right ahead. Why should I care?
Wait, for whom do people put up exterior Christmas decorations?
Quote from: SEWIGuy on November 02, 2024, 05:25:13 PMRight. If people want to decorate and put up the lights, go right ahead. Why should I care?
Well, I suppose that all (or nearly all) of the HOA Karens do.
:-o
Mike
Quote from: mgk920 on November 02, 2024, 07:00:20 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on November 02, 2024, 05:25:13 PMRight. If people want to decorate and put up the lights, go right ahead. Why should I care?
Well, I suppose that all (or nearly all) of the HOA Karens do.
:-o
Mike
Topics such as this seem to be of great interest to road people. I'd venture the community view is that early decorations and Christmas stuff at the store is a form of disorder. Given how many numbering and control city threads we have I can't say I'm surprised this is a hot subject.
Me personally, I don't really care about the timeliness of Christmas themed stuff. My wife had her tree up through 2020 during the worst of COVID simply because it made her happy. I just got used to it being lingering around in the background.
Quote from: Rothman on November 02, 2024, 06:46:56 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on November 02, 2024, 05:25:13 PMRight. If people want to decorate and put up the lights, go right ahead. Why should I care?
Wait, for whom do people put up exterior Christmas decorations?
I love looking at my own lights. I am on a dead end road with three houses beyond mine and none of them decorate at all so I know they don't care about mine probably.
Quote from: Rothman on November 02, 2024, 06:46:56 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on November 02, 2024, 05:25:13 PMRight. If people want to decorate and put up the lights, go right ahead. Why should I care?
Wait, for whom do people put up exterior Christmas decorations?
Not sure why that matters. Honestly if it bothers you that someone put their Christmas lights up in November, that's your problem.
Quote from: Big John on October 24, 2024, 09:10:43 PMArticle on this: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChristmasCreep
TV Tropes will ruin your life!
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 02, 2024, 07:10:53 PMTopics such as this seem to be of great interest to road people. I'd venture the community view is that early decorations and Christmas stuff at the store is a form of disorder. Given how many numbering and control city threads we have I can't say I'm surprised this is a hot subject.
Get your Limon-themed Christmas decorations ready, I guess.
My distaste of early Christmas is because in my family Thanksgiving was the big get-together holiday, so I sort of resent it being shoved aside as though it was unimportant. But of course it's shoved aside because it's difficult to overcommercialize a single meal with your family. Also, Christmas is a lot less fun when you don't have a lot of money. The messaging of modern Christmas is basically "you're a piece of shit if you don't juice the economy buying everyone everything, but if you call us out on it we're going to pretend the reason we're doing all of this is religious so you can't criticize it".
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 02, 2024, 09:28:54 PMAlso, Christmas is a lot less fun when you don't have a lot of money.
Or when neither you nor anyone you know has any particular need or want for more stuff. Even putting together a list of things other people could get me is a chore.
There was a solid decade in there for me where Christmas and Thanksgiving were just days off. I didn't live near family in Arizona and I only ever ended up doing nominal celebrations if I was dating someone. I liked the peace quiet, but I would often get random phone calls from family members asking if I was okay (which was really weird).
Quote from: SectorZ on November 02, 2024, 08:27:38 PMQuote from: Rothman on November 02, 2024, 06:46:56 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on November 02, 2024, 05:25:13 PMRight. If people want to decorate and put up the lights, go right ahead. Why should I care?
Wait, for whom do people put up exterior Christmas decorations?
I love looking at my own lights. I am on a dead end road with three houses beyond mine and none of them decorate at all so I know they don't care about mine probably.
Maybe they consider your decorations theirs in a way.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 02, 2024, 10:13:29 PMThere was a solid decade in there for me where Christmas and Thanksgiving were just days off. I didn't live near family in Arizona and I only ever ended up doing nominal celebrations if I was dating someone. I liked the peace quiet, but I would often get random phone calls from family members asking if I was okay (which was really weird).
I stayed home for a couple of years when I was in my late 20s. (To me, driving from Raleigh, NC to Newark, DE and wasn't worth the hassle anymore. Long story.) The first year especially, my mother was really worried about me.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on November 02, 2024, 10:13:29 PMThere was a solid decade in there for me where Christmas and Thanksgiving were just days off.
There was a solid decade where I didn't even get both of them off. Hard to be in a holiday spirit when you don't even get the day off work, just time and a half.
The neighbors across the street had their lights on last night.
I am grateful to get three days off at Thanksgiving, and the entire week-plus off between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day.
Quote from: Rothman on November 02, 2024, 11:51:39 PMQuote from: SectorZ on November 02, 2024, 08:27:38 PMQuote from: Rothman on November 02, 2024, 06:46:56 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on November 02, 2024, 05:25:13 PMRight. If people want to decorate and put up the lights, go right ahead. Why should I care?
Wait, for whom do people put up exterior Christmas decorations?
I love looking at my own lights. I am on a dead end road with three houses beyond mine and none of them decorate at all so I know they don't care about mine probably.
Maybe they consider your decorations theirs in a way.
No, they're just lazy.
The Christmas-themed car ads on TV have already started as of yesterday. I suppose, all things considered, that I'd rather hear those than more of the non-stop political smear ads (sometimes an entire commercial break has been nothing but attack ads this fall).
Quote from: Scott5114 on November 03, 2024, 05:52:36 AMQuote from: Max Rockatansky on November 02, 2024, 10:13:29 PMThere was a solid decade in there for me where Christmas and Thanksgiving were just days off.
There was a solid decade where I didn't even get both of them off. Hard to be in a holiday spirit when you don't even get the day off work, just time and a half.
Right, I get that being the long time LP Manager guy back in that era at places like Sears. I avoided actually working on Thanksgiving but given we were opening at 4 AM on Black Friday we were on the precipice. I put in my two notice at Sears specifically to avoid working another Black Friday when I got a better job elsewhere.
Quote from: vdeane on November 02, 2024, 10:05:29 PMQuote from: Scott5114 on November 02, 2024, 09:28:54 PMAlso, Christmas is a lot less fun when you don't have a lot of money.
Or when neither you nor anyone you know has any particular need or want for more stuff. Even putting together a list of things other people could get me is a chore.
I agree with you it's a chore to come up with ideas when you don't want or need anything special. Especially problematic now that media is all ethereal and mostly subscription-based so doesn't make for good gifts to ask for (there went something that formed a large part of my list for a good 20 years).
My advice is consumables. You use them so it's not
more stuff, but rather stuff you use and would otherwise get yourself anyway but you now don't have to get.
My dad's 93 year-old parents have been griping for probably 30 years about how they don't want anything and the presents they get are naff. About 20 years ago, my parents had a solution. My grandparents have jam on toast for breakfast most days, so my parents get the grandparents a couple of 'craft' jams from a farm shop. They often have soup for lunch, so they get three or four cans of fancy soup from my parents. They have a small glass of sherry once a week, so they get given a bottle that (unlike the soups and jams) lasts them months. It all goes in a hamper (the same one for the last 10 years) along with some nice biscuits and other treats for them to eat over the Christmas period. My grandparents absolutely love it.
And I'm not just talking about food and drink when I say consumables - my brother always asks for some slippers to wear around the office. Other clothes also wear out. There's always flowers in my grandparents' gardens to replace (so I tend to buy them winter hanging baskets, or gardening vouchers so they get something for their beds in spring). This year I'm going to ask for some replacement crappy headphones this Christmas as my current set is dying. And stuff like toiletries are obvious consumable presents, of course.
I leave the shopping to my wife. She tends to have her finger on the pulse of what people want way more than I do. I just chip in 50% when she says that shopping is done.
For her I usually get an assortment of old DVDs, candy and NES games.
Quote from: vdeane on November 02, 2024, 10:05:29 PMQuote from: Scott5114 on November 02, 2024, 09:28:54 PMAlso, Christmas is a lot less fun when you don't have a lot of money.
Or when neither you nor anyone you know has any particular need or want for more stuff. Even putting together a list of things other people could get me is a chore.
Which goes back to why I prefer to give a gift card rather than try and find out. For one of my friends who is struggling financially, a Walmart gift card helps them much more than trying to figure out what they need. Likewise, I'm in a smaller house, so I have to be a bit more selective in what I purchase.
When it comes to technology, yes, there are some differences between what you spend and what you get. Take monitors for example. There are differences between screen size, screen resolution, refresh rate, if adaptive sync is available, and even what ports are available. Even specifying the make and model of a monitor that I would prefer may result in someone's frugality coming out and a lesser monitor being purchased with only a HDMI port instead of a Displayport. Yeah, and then you are given a guilt trip if you don't set up that monitor and then try to rescue the box from the recycle bin for returning. (Yes, it bad enough when you set up monitor arms so that you have three 27" monitors on your desk. The center one is a nice GSync monitor that I purchased refurbished, while the two side ones were Acer K2 Series K272HUL 27" WQHD 2560 x 1440 (2K) monitors that came with me when I moved in early 2019 and were purchased in 2017. Yet, because they were stored in a closet, my mother thought I had purchased new monitors.)
My wife lined up twelve gifts for me for birthday (December 5th) and Christmas this year. She gave me the first two last night: a new mattress pad and pillows. (She's leaning more toward the practical this year.)
Regarding the discussion of Christmas presents, my wife's late stepmother (her father's second wife after her mother died) used to ask people not to give her stuff because "it'll be something else I need to dust," which was a problem as she got older and less mobile.
Gifts?
I'm a selfish bastard!!! :bigass:
Quote from: english si on November 03, 2024, 10:41:14 AMI agree with you it's a chore to come up with ideas when you don't want or need anything special. Especially problematic now that media is all ethereal and mostly subscription-based so doesn't make for good gifts to ask for (there went something that formed a large part of my list for a good 20 years).
Funnily enough, my parents and I still do physical media enough that it still makes up a good chunk of our lists (in fact, right now what will ultimately make up the list consists entirely of books and DVDs related to Avatar: The Last Airbender).
One of the malls close to me, the Burlington Mall, has its mall Santa starting 11/7. Even that appearance is subject to its own creep.
The thing I ask for Christmas is always money.
Quote from: LilianaUwU on November 04, 2024, 11:16:24 AMalways money
New song: "All I want for Christmas is you
r money" (Sorry Mariah)
Three Christmas songs in a row in a store today. Maybe more, I left after that.
I haven't heard any Christmas music yet, thankfully, though when visiting my wife at her work the in-between-song ad now has a Christmas-themed backing sound to it. Most general/department stores have transitioned over to Christmas, though I haven't noticed any merchandise going up earlier than usual. In the companies I've worked retail for over the years, the first wave of Christmas merchandise would arrive in late August and would be not-obviously-Christmas items like toys and gifts that could be plausibly sold year-round, but were internally listed as Christmas merchandise.
When I was in South Africa a couple years ago, I was there from late October to early November, and the stores there also immediately transitioned to Christmas on November 1st. (Halloween isn't really a thing there, and thus the stores went from no real seasonal setup that I can remember into Christmas. My lone regret from that trip is not taking more photos of what inside businesses look like.) The funniest thing is that their Christmas decorations are more or less identical in nature to those in Europe and North America despite it going into summer during Christmas season there.
I heard a store playing Christmas music outside the other day (I think it was on Monday?) on my way to order fast food. When I came back that way, the music had been turned off, probably due to complaints or something.
Last night after work I was out for a walk and it appeared that a house on the next block over has Christmas lights up already. Hard to tell because I wasn't close enough to see them clearly, even with my glasses on, and there are some people who put lights up for Halloween who still have them up (I don't know whether this house was one of those because as of last week it was still light when I went out for a walk). Retailers jumping the gun has become routine, but I don't believe I've seen anyone put up Christmas decorations or lights this early with two exceptions: (1) the stereotypical redneck who leaves them up year-round and (2) a house over towards the GW Parkway whose owner used to spend the entire month of November putting up over 250,000 Christmas lights he synced to music. (I say "used to" because a year or two ago his ladder collapsed while he was standing on it. He missed so nobody knows whether he'll be able to resume putting up lights. It's a shame because his lights were all class—just lights, no inflatable objects or the like.) But the latter guy didn't have the lights on, aside from testing them, until after Thanksgiving.
Mrs. wanderer and I put up the holiday lights sometime in mid-November but I don't turn them on until the Friday night after Thanksgiving. I turn them off after New Year's Eve.
Quote from: Henry on November 01, 2024, 10:55:01 PMNow that Halloween is over, bring on the Christmas stuff!
I have some Christmas stuff to put up in my office. It won't go up until after Thanksgiving. By contrast, the receptionist already has a small Christmas tree at the front desk.
Quote from: US 89 on November 02, 2024, 04:33:45 AMQuote from: kkt on November 01, 2024, 11:36:07 PMQuote from: Henry on November 01, 2024, 10:55:01 PMNow that Halloween is over, bring on the Christmas stuff!
We used to have a holiday called Thanksgiving in between.
That holiday has been replaced by Black Friday, er, Christmas Shop A Month Early Day.
And we have a late Black Friday this year. Since Nov. 1 fell on a Friday, the fourth Thursday isn't until the 28th. Wonder how the shorter shopping season will affect holiday sales?
^^^^
This year is the latest possible date for Thanksgiving and for Friday of Color under the current system for determining the date of the former.
Quote from: Rothman on November 02, 2024, 06:46:56 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on November 02, 2024, 05:25:13 PMRight. If people want to decorate and put up the lights, go right ahead. Why should I care?
Wait, for whom do people put up exterior Christmas decorations?
How about for themselves, or to add to the overall societal vibe? My wife and I are Jewish and we don't put up a nativity scene or anything along those lines, but we put up some outdoor
Christm holiday lights every year. We like seeing them and they add to the holiday ambiance.
Quote from: hbelkins on November 08, 2024, 12:01:01 PMAnd we have a late Black Friday this year. Since Nov. 1 fell on a Friday, the fourth Thursday isn't until the 28th. Wonder how the shorter shopping season will affect holiday sales?
Judging by how swamped stores are and the increase in traffic I've seen on retail corridors, I don't think people are waiting for Black Friday to start their shopping.
Quote from: vdeane on November 08, 2024, 12:41:55 PMQuote from: hbelkins on November 08, 2024, 12:01:01 PMAnd we have a late Black Friday this year. Since Nov. 1 fell on a Friday, the fourth Thursday isn't until the 28th. Wonder how the shorter shopping season will affect holiday sales?
Judging by how swamped stores are and the increase in traffic I've seen on retail corridors, I don't think people are waiting for Black Friday to start their shopping.
True, Walmart's Black Friday deals start next week.
Quote from: vdeane on November 08, 2024, 12:41:55 PMQuote from: hbelkins on November 08, 2024, 12:01:01 PMAnd we have a late Black Friday this year. Since Nov. 1 fell on a Friday, the fourth Thursday isn't until the 28th. Wonder how the shorter shopping season will affect holiday sales?
Judging by how swamped stores are and the increase in traffic I've seen on retail corridors, I don't think people are waiting for Black Friday to start their shopping.
The pandemic put to an end what Black Friday had grown into - somewhat thankfully. But along with the "Christmas Creep" is a longer holiday shopping season.
And if you notice, no one complains if they get done their Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving...even as they also complain about too much Christmas decor stuff on display or for sale.
Quote from: wanderer2575 on November 08, 2024, 12:29:20 PMQuote from: Rothman on November 02, 2024, 06:46:56 PMQuote from: SEWIGuy on November 02, 2024, 05:25:13 PMRight. If people want to decorate and put up the lights, go right ahead. Why should I care?
Wait, for whom do people put up exterior Christmas decorations?
How about for themselves, or to add to the overall societal vibe? My wife and I are Jewish and we don't put up a nativity scene or anything along those lines, but we put up some outdoor Christm holiday lights every year. We like seeing them and they add to the holiday ambiance.
If it was purely for personal satisfaction, there'd be little reason to put them up on the exterior. Having a house "look nice" on the exterior has to, to whatever degree, also be to the benefit of others, even if it is a stretch of the assumption.
We bought a Black Friday sale new dishwasher yesterday.
Quote from: kkt on November 01, 2024, 11:36:07 PMQuote from: Henry on November 01, 2024, 10:55:01 PMNow that Halloween is over, bring on the Christmas stuff!
We used to have a holiday called Thanksgiving in between.
AKA "Peace on Earth Good Will to Man Now Get the Hell Out of My Way in the Parking Lot and If You Touch the Last of That Item on the Store Shelf You're Dead."
"Once again, we come to the Holiday Season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice."
(Dave Barry)
His name is Krampus.
Underrated holiday themed horror movie. I was surprised to find out it was rated PG-13.
Quote from: jeffandnicole on November 08, 2024, 01:46:20 PMThe pandemic put to an end what Black Friday had grown into - somewhat thankfully. But along with the "Christmas Creep" is a longer holiday shopping season.
And if you notice, no one complains if they get done their Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving...even as they also complain about too much Christmas decor stuff on display or for sale.
Quite true. I used to do a quick Black Friday run to grab the presents I need to get, wrap them at my parents, and then leave them there rather than transport them to Albany and back. It was simply the most convenient way. But during the pandemic, rising infection rates, unpredictable supply chains and shortages, and greater uncertainty over travel caused me to do as much shopping as possible in early November. Since then, the habit stuck even though none of the initial reasons for it apply.