Really, I'm Not a Scrooge!
I love spreading festive cheer and holiday shopping as much as the next hyped up, over-zealous person, but the growing length of the holiday season is getting out of hand. Halloween is still a fresh memory, at least for me, and department stores and malls have already kicked the marketing machine into high gear again with the onslaught of over the top holiday décor, strategically placed employees full of false holiday cheer, and the endless loop of Christmas music (okay, I’m almost embarrassed to admit it, but I sort of like the holiday tunes – is that wrong?).
Less focus is being placed on spending time with friends and family, or with yourself for that matter, and being placed on getting out into the holiday action and getting while the getting is still good – or so the marketers want us to believe. Take a look at the number of flyers you receive in the mail this week – just how many are for Christmas or Holiday specials and it’s only the second week of November? Even the release of the oh-so-witty Christmas commercials seems to have been bumped up a few weeks this year. It couldn’t have been two days after Hallows Eve and a major electronics store already had their holiday specials hitting the airwaves.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no Scrooge, but I long for the days when we actually have a little break between holidays. The constant bombardment of festivities is too much even for this seasoned shopper. I used to look forward to seeing all the advertisements for the latest gadgets and gizmos, new food products and holiday ideas – in DECEMBER – but now I just tune them out.
So, until the last month of the year comes around, I’m laying off the holiday shopping. Of course it will be busy when I finally get out there, and yes, I might not get everything on my list, but I would rather spend one month preparing for the holiday season, and save my November days for chilling out with friends and family and taking in a little me time before the holiday season really gets moving.
December, I gladly await your arrival, because when you get here – it’s on!
Posted By: Shopping Shorty