Saturday, November 23, 2013

Christmas is Coming – Will It Ever Stop for Thanksgiving?








     When we lived in Panama, José Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad” started playing on local and Armed Forces radio stations the week of Halloween and my family was so sick of
it by Thanksgiving that we’d start snapping our fingers for Donna Summer or The Doobie Brothers or Chic or David Bowie.  

Santa Arrived Early—Very Early—at the Mall
     Okay, so we know that Halloween has emerged in the past decade as the most celebrated holiday, in terms of parties and number of stores; they’re on every corner, which is far more than Christmas ones.  The moment October 31 is almost, though not quite, over the Christmas decorations are up in the stores and the desperation to celebrate salvation.  However, it feels like salvation is more about recharging the American economy than it is about the birth of the Christian Son of God.  

     Until about eight years ago, Black Friday used to be a synonym for Good Friday, but that’s been replaced as the day corporate retail American turns a fiscal year profit – let us praise Hallelujah and pass the ammo.  The season’s turned grubbier with Black Friday pushed up to Black Friday early morning/late night, then Thanksgiving evening, and now Wednesday evening.  Praise be, between the football games and snipping coupons, the turkey needs to be a self cooker.

Nordstrom's Greeting
     We respect Nordstrom’s for waiting to open with the decorations on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  Maybe the management of Kenwood Mall should take a page from Nordstrom’s playbook and hold off on Santa until after Thanksgiving as well.  Really, the middle of November for sweaty, excited lap sitting seems a little impatient.  After all, when will that Jolly Old Elf have time to finish off making the toys?  Thanks also to Kenan Thompson for his hilarious short last week on SNL as Mister Senior.
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