It’s No Longer Looking at All Like Christmas

Anywhere I go. I was in an I-won’t-name-it grocery (for fear of being sued) at 5:00PM today Wednesday January 3, 2018, shopping for the gazpacho I’m making for a party on Friday – yes, an ice-cold soup in the middle of winter. It still tastes good.

The tables which had held the marked-down-75%-only-seconds-after-midnight-12-31-2017 tinsel, butter cookies, noisemakers and STUFF were empty, stripped as naked as Scrooge’s bed after his wake. And not 5′ away, the card racks held row after row after nerve-wracking row of bright, dark, neon, candy-apple, fire engine, crimson, ruby, and let’s not forget pinkish red papers, boxes, cards, bows, fake roses and STUFF enough to confuse a ladybug.

REALLY???????????

AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHH. Someone point me to a good reference work on the history of consumerism in America. How did we go from a day when Mr. Potato Head was made with a real potato to a day that a Barbie doll wears real diamonds??? I am not Christian, but I think I understand the bitter pain many Christians feel at the hideous commercialization of their holy day.

I’m an unapologetic romantic who gives “just ’cause” flowers any day of the year and yes, a little extra on Valentine’s Day. I’m starting to yell BAH HUMBUG every time I hear a jewelry commercial on the radio. Where did Thanksgiving go?!?!?!? I LIKE those ridiculous cardboard turkeys with the fold-out fan tails. A controversial anniversary, undeniably, if you have a Native American perspective. But in its purest form, celebrating family is never wrong. I guess you just can’t make a profit on thin cardboard. Easter gets a nod, but mostly because candy is dandy. NO comments on Halloween – it would get ugly.

The thought that I have job security because Christmas decorations started going up in stores the day after Halloween is depressing.

PS – Hot gazpacho is delicious.