Today on my way to work I looked over at Macy’s on 34th Street (yup the ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ one) and saw empty windows.
This made me smile (and I may have squeee’d) because it means work will begin on their 2013 Holiday Windows to be unveiled a week or so before the Thanksgiving parade, which is when my ‘Christmassy’ (meaning: of, relating to, or suitable for Christmas) mood usually begins.
Now, it is without question that I LOVE Christmas. It’s always been my favorite holiday even now as I am in my late 30’s. To me, Christmas always had a certain ‘magical’ element to it. I love a good, warm, fuzzy feeling, Charlie Brown, hot cocoa, very special, Wonderful Life, Santa, elves, ho ho ho, cookies, spectacular, carols and tunes, Jesus, Mary, Joseph and that Gloria banner-carrying angel, Rudolf and Frosty, tree-lighting, that adorable commercial with the singing lambs, ‘Saves Christmas’ (because for some reason Christmas always puts itself in a situation where it needs saving)–Christmas. I look forward to decorating the tree and the windows while the smell of hot chocolate is in the air as Christmas music plays through my speakers. I’m all for gifting each other gifts and presenting each other presents. As store-front windows across the city come to life with the magic and splendor of wintry holiday themes bringing warm feelings to what would otherwise be cold New York City nights, it reminds us all to try being a little–less cold.
Yet, I’m tired of seeing Christmas in October.
I remember when October was all about harvestry autumn stuff, falling leaves and acorns a-midst ghosts, goblins, witches and plastic jack-o-lanterns. It was the sense in the air that the Big Three (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) was about to kick-off and looking forward to candy, food, toys, snowmen, days off from school and countless It’s a Wonderful Life airings. Back then, there were no Christmassy displays in retail establishments until AFTER Halloween. The official holiday shopping season didn’t begin until that year’s Santa made his way down 5th Ave at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Yes it’s called the Macy’s THANKSGIVING Day Parade. Why people call it the Macy’s Day Parade I’ll never know. Can you imagine?
“Happy Macy’s Day! Now let’s bow our heads and thank R.H Macy for the wonderful discounts he has bestowed upon us, and then we will go around the table and everyone will name one sale they are particularly grateful for..”
But it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet–it’s October. All this month when I walked into a Rite Aid or a K-Mart, it irked me to see Halloween decorations and Christmas decorations share shelves–candy corn and candy canes side by side. For the past few years, it seems retailers are in a rush to get us buying early for the holidays. I do wish they would let Halloween pass by first and let every holiday have its place. Even Jack Skellington learned in “A Nightmare Before Christmas” that every holiday has its place.
In October though, do we need a little Christmas right this very minute? I think it’s best to wait.
Why do I feel so strongly about this? That is a question I have asked myself lately and I think I figured it out due to the flashback I just had as I was putting this post up. When I was much younger (I believe 4 or 5) my older brother Robert, without my asking, showed me where the Christmas gifts were being stored on the upper-upper-upper (we had high ceilings) shelf of my mom’s bedroom closet right next to the winter/summer clothes and the blue furry blankets (we had these blankets that were blue and furry. It was like someone killed a tribe of Cookie Monsters and made blankets from their pelt). This discovery led me to two things: Santa was not real + I knew what I was getting for Christmas = that year’s Christmas magic was ruined.
So in October when I see Christmas decorations in stores, I guess I feel that if I acknowledge them that it will ruin the magic… and Christmas will suck….which is why… I turn my head away…. and say “Nope! Too early!”
Splendid days, I’m glad I figured that out! Writing sure is therapeutic isn’t it?
Anyways, Happy October!