Is the holiday season ending or starting?

[MichaelB]

I saw Christmas decorations up on Oct 1st this year. By mid-October most of the stores had their holiday displays up and Christmas advertising running full blast. Even some TV commercials that only run around around Christmas - the perfumes and such. Radio stations started the 24/7 holiday music. All this in October.

So, when I got up on the day after Thanksgiving I felt like the holiday season was ending. After all, we’ve already had about a month and a half of Christmas commercialism. I’m not ready for another month of this.

 

[DEC-1982]

Hmm !!!

Our experience was different; we saw decorations only recently (last few days).

 

[braumeister]

Around here, Halloween decorations are a really, really big thing. So they started going up in mid-September and only came down about a week ago. Thanksgiving doesn't rate much of anything for decorations, and the Xmas stuff only began to appear last week. I try to stay out of retail stores as much as possible to avoid the background music.

 

[bingybear]

I saw Christmas decorations up on Oct 1st this year. By mid-October most of the stores had their holiday displays up and Christmas advertising running full blast. Even some TV commercials that only run around around Christmas - the perfumes and such. Radio stations started the 24/7 holiday music. All this in October.

So, when I got up on the day after Thanksgiving I felt like the holiday season was ending. After all, we’ve already had about a month and a half of Christmas commercialism. I’m not ready for another month of this.

You answered you own post. It is really a personal in my opinion.

 

[audreyh1]

I hadn’t noticed too much Xmas stuff so far out in stores yet other than the massive gift basket display at Costco. I don’t think HEB has even been playing Xmas music yet and I hadn’t heard bell ringers outside any stores yet.

Only one neighbor had their Xmas decorations up yesterday. First we’d seen anywhere.

We’ve been participating heavily in online Black Friday type deals this week, but that’s done now. That’s buying for ourselves!

Will start online Xmas shopping ~Dec 1.

 

[RunningBum]

Yeah, let me know in a few days if you still think it's ending.

 

[pb4uski]

I first noticed Christmas decorations in BJs around Halloween... it seems that retailers are starting earlier each year... it disgusts me.

 

[NYEXPAT]

We will put up our tree around the 15th of Dec, two weeks of Christmas is enough for me. Our Grocery store has a Christmas/Patio furniture/BBQ section but I always walk right past it.

 

[Dawg52]

We will put up our tree around the 15th of Dec, two weeks of Christmas is enough for me.

That's what I do. I noticed some tv channels like Hallmark started running Christmas movies about 3 weeks ago. Almost non stop. Can't imagine why anyone would be in the mood to watch holiday shows that early.

 

[W2R]

Around here, Halloween decorations are a really, really big thing. So they started going up in mid-September and only came down about a week ago.

Same here, and I HATED it!!! A number of those near and dear to me passed away this year, and it was freaking me out to see all the overly realistic Hallowe'en decorations. I never saw so many very realistic looking gravestones in people's front yards, as decoration, for weeks and weeks. Yikes. (shudder) Who would want that. And then, all my video games were doing Hallowe'en for 3+ weeks, too. Eek. (double shudder). In October I even re-set the date on one of my video game consoles to November, to get away from it.

I am so glad that Hallowe'en is over! I know it is a big deal in New Orleans, but there's such a thing as too much Hallowe'en, especially to those who are still in mourning over losing their loved one or, like me, loved ones.

Hallowe'en is for kids only (IMO), and we had zero trick-or-treaters. This was all a grownup thing.

So far I have seen only a few Thanksgiving or Christmas decorations, but I am sure more will be going up. I never get a tree or decorate for Christmas myself, and neither does Frank. We try to stay out of malls and so on at this time of year.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I rarely go into a store because I shop online. None of the restaurants we have been in are decorated.

 

[btdt22]

Municipal building and street decorations were put up Friday (11/23/18), along with local radio station switching to Christmas music. Most Christmas parades will be week after next in NE Oklahoma

 

[Walt34]

The gym we go to put up some very low-key Christmas decorations around the front desk the day after Thanksgiving, we've seen a few houses with Christmas lights up already, and today I noticed the grocery store has a few Christmas items displayed but that's about it so far. Nothing on the car radio yet, thankfully. Later on I'll turn into the Grinch and ride in silence rather than be bombarded with constant Christmas carols that I got tired of hearing over and over in 1972.

 

[Ronstar]

The restaurant I’m in now is decorated for Christmas. My workshop is decorated, our house will be probably between 12/18 and 12/21.

 

[RunningBum]

I start looking Thanksgiving week for a nice day to put my outside lights up. They went up Wednesday this year. If they go up any earlier I don't plug them in right away, but I did this year. Indoor lights went up same day. I like colored lights, and the LED lights look better than the old kind--cheaper to run, too. My fake tree with lights on the tips (forget what they call that) is plugged in, but I haven't put up any ornaments or anything else. I may not bother this year.

I probably won't take down the lights until a nice day well after the new year. I kind of like them up during ski season, and it helps my mood with the short days, and any post-Christmas blahs.

 

[Aerides]

My outside lights went up Friday. It's a 2-3 hour job so I rationalize that it might as well be for the longest period. I also like the effect outside as it keeps everything brighter and prettier.

The tree usually goes up this weekend but I'm dreading it this year. It's a multi-section prelit tree, and the lights finally gave up on me last year (10 years old, but a gorgeous tree otherwise). I bought replacement lights and need to cut all the old ones off and replace them. It's going to be a big job and take me most of a day - a 10 foot tree. Planning to do it tomorrow.

Everything starts to come down after New Years. 12th night, bad luck and all that.

 

[Chuckanut]

Ignore the commercial aspects. They have stripped Christmas of its meaning. Why let them control our feelings and dictate how we spend our holidays?

 

[EastWest Gal]

I needed to buy some bakery cookies in our grocery store in early November. All they had was Christmas cookies! By the time December rolls around, those cookies would be inedible.

 

[mrWinter]

Christmas decorations for the most part just went up this weekend after thanksgiving around me, but I agree with much of your sentiment. By the time Christmas rolls around I'm already burnt out on all the Christmas stuff. it detracts from the holiday for me.

 

[Chuckanut]

The local mall is lavishly decorated with boughs, ribbon, ornaments, holly, gingerbread stuff and fake snow. But a space alien would be totally confused as to why we do all this, other than to sell stuff. Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all - they can’t be found. And don’t waist your time looking for anything remotely religious.

So, I make my own Christmas with traditions, gifts and good cheer.

Remember there are 12 days of Christmas. By the time we get to day 2, the season is ours again!