It was about a week ago when I first drove down my street (actually it was John driving) and I noticed all the Christmas lights lining the streets of my apartment complex. The apartment owners had strung the trees with glowing lights. I was taken aback. The first week of November, and Christmas lights already?
Since then I have seen them all around the apartment complex. Individual tennants have "gotten into the Christmas spirit" and hung their Christmas decorations also. I have gone downtown, and seen them on houses there also.
I'm a little perplexed. It's still a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving! When I was growing up, you didn't do Christmas until after Thanksgiving. At first it was much after. And then it was the day after. Now it's before!
Another thing that's a little funny about my town. After decorating for Christmas, we leave the Christmas lights up until April or May. Even June! Now that part I like! It makes everybody a little more festive and nicer to each other, LOL!
So how is it done where you live? Are your Christmas lights and decorations already up in your town? And if so, do you think it is too early? As for me, it's way too early. I plan on enjoying Thanksgiving first!
Posts
AOL is being AOL again... wouldn't let me comment!! I haven't seen any lights yet, people don't usually do them here until after Thanksgiving, but it'll be interesting to look for them sooner, I know all the stores are decked out for Christmas already.... THEY just can't wait!! LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteJoann
It is way too early. I've started seeing and hearing Christmas ads. Grrrr. No lights in my area yet.
ReplyDeleteTraci
It's starting to be like Christmas around here too. I don't care for it either. Let us have Thanksgiving and give it all the proper spirt, and THEN we can celebrate Christmas....And actually, I like both holidays about the same, I really love Christmas, but Thanksgiving is a "big deal" in my family, too. I'm with your thinking on this Krissy, my friend. Merry
ReplyDeleteI haven't noticed any Christmas decorations up on houses, etc (of course I'm not out at night very often). But it's everything Christmas in the stores. Places like Lowes & Home Depot had Christmas stuff coming out onto the sales floor the first of October. And now the other stores, have wrapping paper, boxed cards and decorations for sale. It seems it comes earlier each year. Linda in Washington state
ReplyDeleteNo lights yet. And in our town the lights have to be taken off before March or the homeowner is fined. I guess they think it looks tacky?
ReplyDeletePam
Hi Krissy- I've seen a few commercials on TV already promoting the "Holiday" no mention of Christmas yet. Wally world has all their Christmas stuff out already, with a big Christmas tree right inside the front doors, but I haven't seen any houses done up yet. I agree- it's too early! I love Christmas and decorations and everything, but it seems a little more special to wait until a little bit after Thanksgiving. God Bless you both Krissy! Carolyn : )
ReplyDeleteMaybe I am in the wrong neighborhood but I havent seen any Xmas lights on houses yet. There IS stuff in the stores though. I'm like you, I'd rather enjoy Thanksgiving first.
ReplyDeleteOK. I think it is way to early to be putting Christmas lights up. Hell here in AZ on my vacation it feels like summer with highs in the 90's. Anyway, have a good Thursday. Take care.
ReplyDeletePhil
I heard Christmas songs at Walmart last week. Helen
ReplyDeleteThis year the merchants on our street have really gotten into the holiday spirit.
ReplyDeletefor Halloween they had trick or treat on church street and all the merchants passed out candy from 6-8pm.
Monday--they hired some company that came and strung lights around the bigger limbs and trunks of a lot of the trees lining the street.
I'm not only excited about the festiveness of it all--but it really brightens up the street and I feel more secure walking in the dark--since it's often dark by the time I get home now.
I live on the coast Krissi facing the ocean and last yr our Town Council decided to leave the Christmas lights up all yr round.I think this is to cut expeces of having them put up each year.Tourists to the town are many ,so it is nice for them.The later the better for myself,as I feel they collect too much dust.I am also not one for clutter and they make me feel clostrophobic.It is our religeous belief to have the lights and decorations up for the Twelve Days Of Christmas,as in the song or verse we all know.but not everyone in England believe this.So mine come down on or after the twelth night.Some people have had theres up here already for a couple of weeks.I think small children often natter there mums to do this,they cannot wait LOL.Take Care God Bless Kath
ReplyDeleteastoriasand http://journasl.aol.co.uk/astoriasand/MYSIMPLERHYMES
I haven't seen any ... but I haven't been out driving at night lately...
ReplyDeleteHey, are yo going to do your Joy to the World journal again?
Becky
I think we may have roses to add to our mistletoe this Christmas
ReplyDeletehttp://journals.aol.com/chasferris/DribblebyChuckFerris/entries/2007/11/08/i-promised-you-a-rose-garden---what-again/2445
I believe this Christmas rush is ridiculous! I like to enjoy Thanksgiving before Christmas. Our town will put the lights up on the streets the week of Thanksgiving, but will not light them until the day after Thanksgiving. At least, that's the way it's been growing up, unless our town hall get in this rushing Christmas thing also. LOL
ReplyDeleteMissie
I've got a few winter/snow themed decorations out already - I skipped Thanksgiving stuff. I'll be away from my house through the holidays until March, but winter/snow stuff will apply until then! LOL :)
ReplyDeleteThe stores here are already playing Christmas music and had Christmas stuff out. Germans start celebrating Christmas the first week of December though, so they have an excuse here to start early! LOL
We have a lot of people to do that but some of them is because they have relatives who live far away and can come home only once. Usually Thanksgiving. So they have both holidays for them. Tammy
ReplyDeleteIt is tradition in my family to put up the Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving (or sometimes the evening of if Mom was trying to occupy us <LOL>), then the decorations all come down on New Years Day (again, a way to keep the kids busy??). We usually watched the New Year's Day parades, then had a snack and started in on the decorations. We've all had artificial trees now for years, but when I was little and we had a real tree we would drag it out in the yard after dark on New Years day (sometimes freezing our little bums off!) and set it on fire and roast marshmallows.... then run back in the house for hot chocolate. The -real- kind made on the stove in a sauce pan, not a cup with hot water poured in! AND marshmallows (or at least marshmallow cream) on top. Mmmmmm!
ReplyDeleteAs much as I've been able since becoming an adult, I've stuck to these traditions as they remind me of family.....
I was actually really disappointed on Tuesday. I went to find some decorations for Thanksgiving to put up to replace the Halloween ones I had just taken down... and I found... NADA! Most places went straight from selling Halloween to Christmas!! I want Thanksgiving FIRST people!! In fact, as others noted, there had already been some Christmas stuff for sale since like the first of October. I LOVE my fall holidays and I NEED them to be: Halloween celebrated most of October, Thanksgiving celebrated from day after Halloween till Thanksgiving Day, and THEN Christmas from Black Friday till the 25th AND then a week for New Year's!!!! Waaaaaaaaah!
O.K.... climbing off of my soapbox now. Gee, I didn't realize how much this bothered me till I started this comment... It's so long I should have made it an entry in my Journal <LOL>
I think it's way to early for that...people are going nuts...LOL....June:)
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThey took down the Halloweeny stuff and put up Christmas. That isn't right. We have to celebrate Thanksgiving first. I think maybe the big business's want to get people all hyped up so they will spend more money. I can't even find any Thanksgiving decorations. I love the Holidays but they are skipping one sort of.
A lot of advertisements for Thanksgiving food to be bought for the big dinner.
I want it back like it use to be..............
Myke
We decorate our homes and neighborhood the weekend before Thanksgiving...almost totally in white lights. Then from the week before Thanksigiving until New Years we are all aglore and draw thousands of folks to come and see our neighborhood....if we were smart we'd charge $5.00 a car and make a fortune for light replacements, garland, bows etc. We've become a holiday showcase for our town. Must say by January lsts, I've seen all the lights, etc. I want to see. My motto would be to go back to the past and not put Christmas stuff in the stores or outside at homes until the day after Thanksgiving. Almost like we miss enjoying Halloween seeing Christmas stuff in the stores, ditto for Thanksgiving, the true meaning of this holiday is gone. Arlene (AJ)
ReplyDeleteWe put our decorations up about a week before christmas and they come down about a week after. We don't have outside lights most people don't although it is taking off in the Uk a bit more. People are also starting to put up their decs on December 1st especially if they have children. Far too early i think i would be bored with them within the week.
ReplyDeleteJenny <><
When I was young, the candy cane lights started to go up after Dec 1st, but they were never lighted until around the 15th or 20th of the month. Stuff is up in the stores now. But I always wait until after Thanksgiving before beginning to decorate. Blessings, Penny http://journals.aol.com/firestormkids04/FromHeretoThere http://journals.aol.com/firestormkids04/TimeforaLittlePoetry
ReplyDeleteI'm amused the Christmas decorations are out in the stores before Halloween is even over with. Me? I usually have my tree up the day after, weekend after Thanksgiving. It stays up until after the Russian New Year which is the 2nd week of January. I love Christmas so the longer the holiday the better. It does seem off seeing things up and around before Thanksgiving. (Hugs) Indigo
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you saw the cartoon that I posted a few days back (I'll email it anyway), but it dealt with the same thing. I like to deal with one holiday at a time. We've done Halloween and next is Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteJimmy
That's a sore subject in my town since the Council meeting in which we found out that someone was padding the bill for Christmas decorations and someone else was fully aware of it, and paying for it anyway. Very disturbing.
ReplyDeleteJude
http://journals.aol.com/jmorancoyle/MyWay
As you know, I'm totally about taking things in stride. Christmas always comes too early and I sound like a Scrooge until Advent begins. Oh well. Thanks to God's grace Christmas is always very spiritual for me. I wish it could be so for everyone else and not a secularized holiday.
ReplyDeleteEnough ranting! LOL!!
-Kellen
I know why the Christmas decs are going up early - so the stores can put Easter eggs out, at the beginning of December. Keep laughing. Take care.
ReplyDeleteLove Sylvia xx
The Christmas decorations are going up all over here also. And some stay year round, LOL. Since I don't think I will be putting up this year it will be festive looking at everyone elses.
ReplyDeleteJulie
Yep, some lights went up right after Halloween. I think it's too early for that. One station in Pittsburgh is playing continuous Christmas songs already which I think is a bit too early. They usually start Thanksgiving week. LOL...when I lived in Pittsburgh, I kept my super light display up all year. They were multicolored. My kids loved it. My neighbors thought I was nuts. In this neighborhood, they have the lights down by New Years Day, if not before. Depressing. Love you, Chris
ReplyDeleteYes, some people here even had lights up at Halloween and then they just take down the orange things and add the Christmas decorations and it is all ready to go. Amazing huh?! We have some lights to put out but my husband has been so busy this year I don't know if we will be able to. He is working night and day. I hope so because it is our first Christmas in our new home. And it's been a hard year for us and will cheer us up. Hugs,
ReplyDeleteLisa
I havnt seen any thing yet other than in the stores.
ReplyDelete