Christmas Griping
I adore the Christmas season. I listen to Christmas music all month long, and I have a collection of Christmas albums and CDs beyond compare. I chirp “merry Christmas!” everywhere I go … watch the classic holiday cartoons without fail … get out in the shops the few days before Christmas just to absorb more holiday cheer. Yep, I’m one of those delirious December dorks.
But.
The Christmas season runs from Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Day. Not one day sooner. Why aren’t folks following the freakin’ rules?
One of our local radio stations went all-Christmas on weekends two weeks ago — the first damn weekend in November. Who wants to sing along with Bruce to “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” when you’re still munching on that bowl of leftover Halloween Snickers?
Dan called me Sunday to let me know that TBS was playing “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” — my favorite animated show of all time. November 12, and we’re already Grinching? Nuh-uh; I refused to watch. I have principles, dammit, even when it comes to the Grinch.
Our sixth grade class performed “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” in our school’s Christmas program. Renae was Little Cindy Lou Who (who was not more than two) and Holly was Max the Dog. Me? Just a Who down in Whoville, singing along to “Joy to the World” and “Deck the Halls.” The play rocked; wish we had video cameras back in those days.
Why rush it? We’ll be sick of “Joy to the World” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with this premature exaltation. Do not encourage them, folks, or we’ll be listening to Andy Williams and Johnny Mathis carols next August.
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Labels: Christmas, Holly, Renae, The Grinch
posted by Cup @ 4:41 AM
28 comments
28 Comments:
When I worked in retail, I had a strict policy regarding "The Litte Drummer Boy" every time I heard it playing in the store, I walked off the sales floor until it was over. It was that or kill a small child.
I used to lkike Christmas, then I worked in retail for close to 20 years.
I hate, hate, HATE "The Little Drummer Boy." The Bob Seger version makes me want to hurt kitties.
It's weird, but I loved working Christmas week when I worked at the bookstore. Especially Christmas Eve morning -- people were more relaxed and jovial. Maybe bookstores draw in a nicer crowd.
I'm a December dork too, but it is too soon for the showing of Christmassy goodness. What the hell are they thinking!!!!! I think working in a book store would be lovely :)
Here's the rub of my switch to Beta blogger-- when I try to comment here, I log in with my Blogger account, it tells me I need to use my Google account. I log in with my Google account, it tells me I can't leave a comment on a non-Beta blog, but assures me the feature is coming soon. Plus it eats my post. Grr!
Oh, and I had something to say about your post. I'm with you-- it's very, very wrong to start Christmas before Thanksgiving. Starbucks did the Changing of the Cups around Nov 1. I had to numb myself to the sight. Fortunately I haven't come across any Christmas music yet.
I am with you and then some. I start my fruit cake on Thanksgiving because it needs at least a month to soak up brandy. But other than that, a week before is when I get juiced up!
MELLOWLEE: Working at the bookstore was one of the best jobs of my life. I'd get there early and stay late. It was like a cocktail party without cocktails -- you just talkedtalkedtalked about books all day. I've stayed friends with more of those former coworkers than with former corporate coworkers. If it paid better, I'd still be there.
PINKFLUFFYSLIPPERS: I keep hearing about the comment glitches, so I'll hold off a little longer. Is it easy to upload photos and write posts?
OLD LADY: I hope you send us all a fruit cake!
Xmas starts whenever these two things happen:
I hear the Boss singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and the Santa Coca-Cola goes on sale.
Happy Xmas!
Hi, December Dork! I love Christmas, too. I did drink a few Christmas ales this week. Sorry. They're soooo yummy! I couldn't resist!
Like everyone else, I want a Yule that's cool but it's way too early. Youse guys gotta have Thanksgiving first!
I nominate Lulu for heroine of the week for her comment. And Beth for blogger of the world for the sweet asides you insert into just about every post. Oh god, I'm making myself sick now. Lulu? Kill me now.
At one store (can't remember if it was Costco), the Missus said that they had the Christmas stuff up the day after Halloween. Why don't we just bow to the pressure of the cretin retailers and have Thanksgiving in September?
hahaha beth -can't imagine you wanting to hurt kitties -you're a funny lady :).
GRANT: When I worked at The Coca-Cola Company, they would give you a six-pack of the Santa Cokes -- the 6.5-ounce bottles, not cans -- the day they came out. Good times.
MAT: I've (sadly) seen many stores with Christmas displays for a month or more. Don't you feel sorry for their employees, who have to look at it for months?
TENACIOUS C: Drinking a good Christmas ale is excluded from the griping. That's almost a religious experience.
DALE: You comin' down for some of our bird? Sounds like you've been dipping a bit into Old Daly's fruit cakes ...
WRITE PROCRASTINATOR: They'll never move Thanksgiving; that would affect the college football schedule.
LEE: A friend admonished me for that comment. I spoil my cats rotten; in fact, one's curled up in my lap as I type this.
BEN: Please don't lose respect for me ... but I love Elton's "Step into Christmas."
I think they have medicines to help prevent premature exaltation now. Oh wait, I'm thinking about something else.
Let me just say for the record that my favorite Christmas song of all time--and it's a classic, no matter what time of year--is "Christmas in Hollis" by Run DMC. Do with that what you will.
It seems worse in Britain when they start getting Christmas ready too early. Some of the drugstores had "holiday" marketing in the beginning of October- no red and green, mind, but the little novelties with the "snowflakes" on them.
Christmas Retail Song that makes me want to hurt puppies (never kitties): Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmas. One season, it was that song, Lennon's Happy Xmas, and the Bangles or GoGos (no freaking idea which). Just three songs. Three. I was going mental by the first of December.
As with Mat, one of our radio stations went Christmas 24/7 on Nov 1st. Ugh. I can't do it yet.
Last night I drove by 3 houses that were all decked out in lights. Pretty, yes. But not yet, folks! Please!
I took my step-daughter to a resale shop nearly a month ago and Christmas music was already plyaing. This was well before Halloween. It's getting damned ridiculous.
When I was an assistant manager at a restaurant in downtown Chicago, we had a Christmas tape we had to play through the whole holiday season. We were sick to death of it by Christmas. I was working the day after Christmas and as a joke locked myself in the office and put the Christmas tape on. I thought the waiters were going to riot.
I think what must have happened is that people thought you meant they could start playing Christmas music after Canadian Thanksgiving (mid October). It's an honest mistake, I'm sure.
I have heard of an Irish pub in Montreal that plays Fairytale of New York (and nothing else) on a continuous loop during Christmas. I could almost handle that.
I wanted to thank you as well for voting for our group blog - very kind of you - and I always enjoy your comments over at Ben's site.
You are so "in tune" with this! (HA! HA!)Why don't they let you at least savour Thanksgiving for a few days? You're barely licking the gravy and pumpkin pie off your lips and you're thrust into the shopping kickoff the next day!
Charlie Brown is my all-time fav animated, and A Christmas Carol...(Black and White with Alistair Simms!)for movie.
I'd love to see and hear your Xmas CD collection! Will you post it sometime? You probably have 100! I have about 15.
I read somewhere that Bux has a policy not to play Christmas tunes until after Turkey Day. Yay Bux!
Sorry Benny - I Love John Lennon's "Happy Christmas/War is Over (if you want it)" and don't mind how many times I hear it over the season.
I haven't heard Sarah McLachlan's new version yet - anybody?
Beth - this'll curl your toes, but even Bowie did "The Little Drummer Boy" (with Bing Crosby, no less - there's a vid out there that MTV used to dredge up every year). It STILL sucks.
When I start playing the Vince Guaraldi Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack I tend to get weepy. Really weepy.
It disturbs me to see all this Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving; seeing it before Halloween is just dead wrong.
So is it too soon for this one:
Order Up!
This reminds me of a (much shorter) post I wrote last year.
Beth, where are you? Working too much or out enjoying Thanksgiving/Christmas too much?
Oh yea, and Mother of Invention, my FAVORITE Christmas album is " A Charlie Brown Christmas" by Vince Guaraldi Trio--love it and listen to it way too many times every year
that's a great album. When I worked at Borders, I used to make everyone listen to that album throughout the season. The Brian Setzer Orchestra also has a great Xmas album. As do Los Straitjackets.
Thanks for the recommendation Jeremy, I will make Brian Setzer my xmas album to buy this year..
You won't regret it. And I'm always pushing the Los Straitjackets' xmas album. It's a wonderful surf rock holiday extravaganza - totally instrumental, as surf rock should be.
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