Too Much, Too Soon

I love Christmas!

I love the lights, the music, the decorations, the movies, and etc. Most of all I love the fact that Jesus was born into the world to save us from our sins.

However, having the Christmas season start before Halloween is way too soon. Hallmark Channel was showing Christmas movies in October. Stores already had decorations out and Christmas music playing. Christmas ads were already showing on TV! This is crazy!

I love to watch the Hallmark Channel Christmas movies, and there seems to be better quality movies this year than before. But I have to be honest with you. I’m already getting burned out on Christmas movies. They started showing them way too early. True. I could record them and watch them closer to Christmas but with over 40 new movies, that kind of binge watching would really cause a major overload for me. Besides, I also like watching Christmas classics like “White Christmas,” “It’s a Wonderful Life,” and “A Christmas Carol.” I also have things to do to get ready for the holiday, like bake cookies or a gingerbread house for my grandchildren to decorate or prepare meals for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

When I was a youngster, Christmas was really special. It was that magical time between Thanksgiving and December 25. It just doesn’t feel that special any more because the Christmas frenzy starts so early. It seems to be fueled by the greed for money. Black Friday used to begin early in the morning. Now it’s starting on Thanksgiving afternoon. I feel so bad for retail workers who have to give up spending time with family in order to man the stores. Not only that, they have to deal with people shoving and pushing and trampling them. There are people who miss out on Thanksgiving altogether because they are camping out in line in order to get the very best deal on that television, gaming system, or other gadget. Since when did bargains become more important than family? Oh, yes. I understand wanting to get something at the best price, but keep your family a priority. If you can’t afford something at a regular price, then maybe you don’t really need it. And it doesn’t hurt kids to not get everything they want.

I went shopping on Black Friday only one time at Fry’s Electronics. After arriving at the ridiculously early hour when they opened, the checkout lines were already snaking through the store. I’m sure the wait was at least 3 hours or more to check out. Not worth it to me. We left without buying anything. I can guarantee that I will never go shopping on a Thanksgiving afternoon. In fact, I don’t like to support businesses who open on Thanksgiving.

I love the movie “Miracle on 34th Street,” when the Santa is telling parents where to buy the toys their kids want cheaper and sending them to other stores. I can’t imagine that happening today. In 1965, Charlie Brown was lamenting on how Christmas was so commercialized. It was nothing then like it is today. At least retail workers in 1965 got the whole day of Thanksgiving off.

I wish we could go back to a less frantic time when businesses weren’t fighting with each other to get every possible dollar. A time when people had their priorities in the right order. However, I don’t see that happening when I’m just thankful to eat a meal without cellphones.

I agree with Charlie Brown. Christmas is too commercialized. For many people and businesses, it doesn’t mean anything more than making lots of money, the presents, having the best decorations, or the most Christmas lights.

Time to go watch “The Polar Express” or “Prancer” and drink some hot chocolate.