Monday, November 3, 2009
Have you noticed that Christmas is right around the corner? I took Abby to the mall yesterday and we were serenaded by Nat King Cole, we wandered around in a forest of elaborately decorated Christmas trees, and drank coffee out of red Christmas cups.
Really? November 2nd?
I love the holiday season as much as the next person but I get a bit worn down by the way retailers slam it down my throat from Halloween on. But the advertisers and marketers are masters of deception. They convince us that without all 54 shopping days between Halloween and Christmas we'll never be ready; never be able to buy it all, wrap it all, dress it up, cook it, or decorate it, much less enjoy it. We have to start early and keep up the frenzied pace till the clock strikes midnight on December 24th.
For me the best remedy to this retail craziness is to stay away. Don't go to the mall. Don't watch commercials. Don't look at the newspaper inserts. I'm going to try to enjoy November for November. I'm going to build fires, walk in the woods, make soup, burn spicy scented candles, and at the end of November I'm going to have a big huge dinner to celebrate the delicious bounty of the earth. After that I may let myself begin to think about Christmas gifts and decorating the house.
But not till then, if I can help it.
1 comments:
I heard a story on NPR the other day about the upcoming Christmas retail season. They interviewed some guy who was head of a retail marketer's association. He said that stores aren't stocking as much stuff this year because of the economy and that if consumers were anticipating "playing a game of chicken" (his exact words) with retailers, and waiting for the last minute to buy items they want, well, those consumers were just going to lose.
I thought: there is so much wrong with that I can't even say. First of all, if you're in business to make money, if consumers don't buy, you DON'T MAKE MONEY, so who loses.
And secondly, since when did shopping become so all-fired critical that it's likened to playing a game of chicken. C'mon!
I'm with you--I'm staying home and enjoying November. I'm going for handmade (maybe not by me but handmade nonetheless) items as much as possible and doing most of my Christmas shopping either at local stores or online...in DECEMBER!
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