Why does Christmas have to start so early? I know in the States Christmas was not around until after Thanksgiving Day. Last time I was in Florida, I saw that Chritmas had sneaked in way before then.
I guess here in the UK it starts in October Why is it just Christmas that has to start way before the event, is it really just a commercially driven holiday now? I mean Jewish people have Hanukkah and they do not start getting ready for it in August. Hindu folk have Divali, the Festival of Light, I never see them getting ready in July. It is just us Christians with our early Christmas fever. When did it start? Why did it go this way? I find it so depressing.
Sometimes, I like to blame Charles Dickens. Think about his novels where he describes splendid Victorian Christmas food In Great Expectations even Pip's miserable, cold sister prepares a feast that gets the gastric juices flowing. Think about Scrooge and that delicious goose he buys!
Of course it was not just Dickens, it was the sentimental Victorians in particular, Prince Albert, the German husband of Queen Victoria. He introduced us Brits to the delights of the Christmas tree, we just used evergreen before then. Next came the "penny post" a postal service that was open to anyone with a penny, was that when the card sending started? After all we were starting to have a greater degree of literacy than ever before.
However, even these folks kept their Christmas to December, they could not start much before, of course not, there were no freezers in which to keep things, and I doubt anyone but the seriously wealthy had the money to buy so many presents.
When I was little included in my Christmas stocking, were tangerines (a rarity to me) and nuts and books. I was very happy with these simple gifts but now...well gifits have to be more exciting than that, or so we are told.
I don't really object to that, after all people can spend their money as they wish, but for me the thing I dislike is what is known as the "run up to Christmas." The commercialisation that demands we start in October. Am I being a curmudgeon for wanting to see nothing about Christmas until the lst December. Probably I am, but I want the magic back, the anticipation yes, but by the lst December that has just gone these days.
The best time for me is 4.00 p.m. on Christmas Eve...that's when Christmas starts to work its magic on me. That is when I start to anticipate...and no, I am not going to wish you all a H C time for that later!
Now where did I put that Christmas card list..............
Margaret
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Oh so true! Our plaza put up their Christmas lights in early October and since we live in Florida there couldn't have been a rush to beat the bad weather.
What happened to Thanksgiving? LOL You're so right, Margaret. We start Christmas way too early and it depresses my hubby every year because of that. He hates the commercialism...did I spell that right?
Great post!
Oh Margaret I love your observations on life. I agree, too!
We actually have neighbors who have had Christmas lights on there house now for probably six weeks or so. I just shake my head every time I see them...
BTW, I've got half of my Christmas cards written out already so manybe I should keep quiet, LOL. :)
Post a Comment