BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted

Subject: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Peter T.
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:28 PM

November 1st, a display of junk went up in Toronto's ManuLife Centre mall, with a sign on it -- "To Trim Your Tree". That is my earliest "realtime" sighting (as opposed to the year round Christmas stores). Anyone else? yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Schantieman
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:34 PM

Supermarkets in UK have had Christmas stuff on sale since early October.

You're lucky you've got Thanksgiving over there.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Schantieman
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:35 PM

Ah....not north of the border! Sorry!

S

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: MMario
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:37 PM

I saw the first christmas sales displays go up shortly after the first of September. I remember I used to get upset because they started in NOVEMBER!

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:39 PM

They're in the process of putting up the Christmas lighta and decorations in London now but I guess they won't be truned on until late November or the 1st December!

Cat

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Kim C
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:40 PM

They usually put it out in the craft shops in late September. We craft junkies have to start EARLY! :-)

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Rara Avis
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:44 PM

Winter clothes started appearing in the shops at the end of July - and this was a summer of endless heat waves. Halloween stuff started creeping into the shops at the end of August and by the last week of October Santa and Halloween goblins were vying for shelf space. I stopped in the local pharmacy early this week. There was a talking Santa by the cash register. I asked the cashier if she thought she'd be driven mad by Christmas. Poor thing gave me the saddest, most imploring look.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Bert
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:50 PM

Christmas has been around for some weeks here.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: SharonA
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:55 PM

Hallmark gift shops put out their line of Christmas ornaments in mid-July!

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Fortunato
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:57 PM

we need a little Christmas. I think however we'll get a bit too much.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Willie-O
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 02:57 PM

There's a store in downtown Ottawa called "Christmas in the Capital" which is open year round and VERY popular with tourists.

It never really starts, cause it never ends.

I'm keeping my blinkers on for now.

W-O

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Schantieman
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 03:04 PM

Could it be made illegal before December? Preferably before the 24th?

Steve

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Leadfingers
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 03:15 PM

Christmas time is here by golly
Disapproval would be folly
Mix the punch,drag out the holly
Fill the cup and dont say when
Kill the Turkeys,ducks and chickens
Mix the punch bring out the Dickens
Even tho the prospect sickens
Brother here we go again.

Good old Tom Lehrer

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: fiddler
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 03:15 PM

Probably only illegal if there are more than two people selling the crap all at the same time in the same pub!

Huh

Joke!

I like the comment above - we need a little Christmas. I think however we'll get a bit too much.

Brilliant

Happy.... ARRGGGHHHHHH........

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: SharonA
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 03:20 PM

Willie-O: There's a year-round Christmas shop in my area, too (suburban Philadelphia PA). It's directly across the street from a US Navy Air base. I don't doubt that a lot of people wish that one of those Navy planes would "accidentally" drop something on the shop (after closing time, of course!).

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 03:24 PM

Instead of crabbing about Christmas, have any of you made plans to go Caroling to raise money for the poor? Supported the Salvation Army? Donated to the local food banks?   Adopted a family, or some kids? That is what Christmas is all about; and yes buying gifts for family.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: MMario
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 03:27 PM

Guest - some people support charity throughout the year.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: SharonA
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 04:06 PM

GUEST: Who's crabbing about Christmas? We're just crabbing about the "crap" – the commercialism, the consumerism, the determination to make money from the holiday rather than to give money in the spirit of good-will-toward-men. Thanks for reminding us to be just as charitable as I trust you will be this Christmas!

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 04:29 PM

I'm keeping my eye open for Easter Egg decorating kits... it's never too early...

Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Kim C
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 04:42 PM

I continually threaten to one year give everyone in my family a stocking with an orange, a tin cup, and a penny, just like in Little House on the Prairie. Oranges were a BIG deal back then.

But say, have any of you seen the price of a good tin cup lately!?

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 05:02 PM

I don't mind the early appearance of the "new season" stuff so much, but 2 weeks before Halloween I was sent to WallyWorld by SWMBO to get some "halloween colored rope lights" that she thought would be great for the campsite. All the Halloween stuff was GONE and already replaced by XMAS stuff.

As already mentioned - you can't buy a winter coat during the winter. That's when you have to buy your bathing suit.

John

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 06:20 PM

There is sometbing to what you say, but imagine this:

You are 82 years old, your joints hurt and you are afraid of ice. Yet you want to make gifts for your family, such as a Christmas quilt. Wouldn't you want to get your supplies before December?

You make money crafting Christmas items which you sell as a small busines. You need to get your raw materials ahead of time.

Your church or club is having a holiday fair to raise money for a good cause. You need time to make things.

You have a stressful job, kids, pets, parents, siblings, a home and at least one car to take care of. You want to do your Christmas shopping in a leisurely fashion, picking up items when you come across them. This can't be done in a couple of weekends.

Me, I work retail, and I ignore the Christmas things until I'm ready for them. I take time to enjoy fall and Thanksgiving, and I move into Christmas when I feel like it. It's called taking control of your life.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Genie
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 07:08 PM

I actually saw big displays of Christmas decorations,etc. for sale in Big Lots stores (formerly Pic'n'Save and/or MacFrugal's) in JULY this year. When I commented on this to a clerk, she said they had been up since June.

Genie

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Banjer
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 09:41 PM

No not yet here....But it won't be long, however. Up north they have the first snowfall to usher in Christmas and other seasonal signs. Our first clue that Christmas is not far off (not more than two months or so) is when the first of the storage trailer containers appear in the back parking lot of the local Wal-Mart.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 08 Nov 02 - 11:09 PM

Everthing so far has been about commercial crap or civic crap. How about some non-commercial crap. There are a couple of houses a few miles down the road from us that had been heavilly decorated for Christmas since November first. The owners took down the Halloween crap and immediately replaced it with Christmas crap.

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: GUEST,Taliesn
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 12:13 AM

Yeah ,unfortunately signs of Christmas advertising paraphanalia already showing up *before Halloween*
which i find particularly disheartening.

For me Christmas Season decoration should not , and *did* not when I was a lad, until tastefully *after Thanksgiving*.

Nowadays the real signaling of the beginning of the Xmas marketing season began this week past with the Federal Reserve lowering the Fed Funds rate to Japanese levels of 1.25% to get John & Jane Q. Consumer to get out there and *borrow & spend* in order to save the economy staying above water while business continues to keep it's financial powder dry
only to turn right around and wring it hands about how people should *save/invest* more.

For me, Christmas Season is first and always about visiting and spending quality time with one's extended family swaping stories ,making music ,being the surrogate uncle to all children ;
in essense I suscribe to being a very outwardly devout Fezziwiggist fueled by the intuitive joy over who's birthday it is that inspires it all and without whom this season's magic would never have the meaning that makes it so ;-)

In this light ,so as far as the over-commercialization in the stores I just consider the source and seek not my sense of joy there anyway because that's not where the intuitive joy comes from to begin with. Something about rendering unto Caesar what it his and so forth. For me Caesar's various commercial palaces are rather irrelevent . I find alot of the over-commercialization of the *politically correct* de-spiritualized Pop-culture music so as not to offend the potential gravy-train harvest of the wallets of the non- .un-. and even anti-Christians about as much of a perversion of the season as all the of Macy's Day parading Coca-Cola Santas. ( Yes , the red and white suited Santa was every bit a commercial concoction of the Coca-Cola company around the turn-of-the-century last for these are precisely the trademark colors of the Coca-Cola logo )

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: GUEST,the banjoest's sister
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 02:38 AM

I've been looking at that s***t since Feb. in my stockroom and now I'm looking at Valentine's and St.Patrick's day crap.
And all I can say is this---- if you don't f***ing buy it then we wouldn't put it out. Ho!HO!HO! says a person that has to listen to all this s***t all f****ing day long as your buying the Christmas crap!!!
And have a Happy New Year Too.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Nemesis
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 04:35 AM

CHRISTMAS! Someone told me they spotted an entire section display this week in a supermarket of


EASTER CHCKS!

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Banjer
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 05:56 AM

As Taliesn so eloquently put it....Just enjoy it for what it really is, fellowship with friends and family, making music, enjoying the smells and sounds of the season and overlook all the crass commecialism.

That post brought back some fond childhood memories of Mom decorating for Christmas. She would never put out anything before the first advent, (the fourth Sunday before Christmas) Each weekend more stuff would be set out until the week before Christmas. Our family enjoyed the trimmings until a week after and then it was 'all hands on deck' to gather up and store away everything until next year. She always wanted to start the New Year on a fresh note.

As I grow older I think less and less of Christmas, besides just looking forward to the gathering of the family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The commercialism has all but ruined the festive atmosphere that used to surround the holiday season. This year I hope to play some simple carols with the grandson who has been taking guitar lessons since early summer. We have already played together, he on guitar and me on dulcimer or banjo (what little I can play) and have enjoyed the music we made.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: GUEST,fran
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 06:15 AM

I saw some Cadburys Creme Eggs in the shop yesterday with specially laid for easter printed on them!

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: RangerSteve
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 06:19 AM

Each year I try to see how long it takes before I hear "Blue Christmas" by Elvis. This year I heard it two days ago, which is the earliest so far. It wasn't the whole song, just part of a TV ad for Christmas CD's featuring songs that avoided the real meaning of the holiday, or really had nothing to do with it, such as Jingle Bells, Let It Snow, tunes that are appropriate in Jan. or Feb. or any time if you live near the Arctic, or in the summer if you live in Australia. Amyway, Blue Christmas is, to me, the anti-Christmas song, especially sung by Elvis. I believe it was written by Satanists and Elvis was under their influence at the time he recorded it.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Banjer
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 06:22 AM

I learned some years ago tha Jingle Bells was actually written as a Thanksgiving song. It wasn't adopted as a Christmas carol until much later.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: fiddler
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 09:45 AM

It is nice that we all agree, I think even those castin nasturtiums at us seem to dislike the Christmas Cr*p.

I keep intending to NOT SEND cards and donate a sum of money to charity!

Send a letter - the good old postie gets his / her christmas bonuses then - although these days they complain about the extra work and want conditions money for the cold weather.

BUT the shops only do 'cos we are gullible enough.....Me mam buys her stuff in teh January sales - if you aren't talking fashion (in all senses of the word) she saves a fortune and avoids all the pressure slaes form June onwards.

Bah Humbug - NOT - off to practice and plan for tomites gig. You can dance many dances to carol tunes - but not tonite.

A

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Hollowfox
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 09:51 AM

I can understand early sales in handicraft stores, as you need time to make the stuff, but the other stuff really should wait.

Subject: RE: BS: First Christmas Crap Sighted
From: Pushkin
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 10:00 AM

London's west end is the worst.    BHS departmental store had it's christmas lights on before Halloween and they have already started to turn on christmas lights on the street.    Bond Street lights were turned on earlier in the week by a group supposedly called Bond (who are a group of classical musicians), but who sounded like the Salvation Army as I walked past.

Come the end of this month it will be impossible to actually walk around the West End without being blinded by the lights and stampeded by the Christmas shoppers thinking that they are about to enter a siege.

Not that I don't enjoy Christmas (I start my Christmas shopping in January!).

Pushkin