Two months from yesterday is Christmas; a week after is New Year’s. Are you ready? No, neither am I. And four weeks from tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I’m not ready for that either. In fact, I’m not even ready for Halloween.
It used to be that each of these events had its turn in the calendar without being infringed upon by the next event. For example, once upon a time Christmas decorations and parties and gift buying didn’t begin until the day after Thanksgiving. And frozen turkeys didn’t go on sale until the last Trick or Treater was tucked in bed. But no longer.
No wonder it feels as if time is speeding up. Stores display their fall merchandise as children get out for summer vacation and decorate for Christmas the end of September. Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter often trip over each other.
I used to think it was a function of age; the older I became the faster each season passed. But I think it’s exacerbated by the whirlwind that is retail and the pressure to keep that bottom line black. Santa might like red, but it’s not a good thing for business.
Still, all this marketing is having the opposite effect on me. I am not more prepared because there is more time given to each of these things. If anything, I’m more saturated; and I’m opting out of making most holidays a big thing. In fact, I don’t even plan to be home for Halloween.
If that makes me a curmudgeon, so be it.
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