Wednesday, November 07, 2012

Thanksgiving Comes First

Every year my swell pal Suldog puts out a plea for merchandisers and friends to stand up and refuse to allow the Christmas hoopla to encroach upon the reflective time of gratitude that is Thanksgiving.  I have long agreed with this position so I participate, albeit it sometimes later rather than sooner.

At my house I am considered a wee bit of a grinch for my policing of Christmas doings.  Mr. Lime and the kids all know that once school starts there is to be no playing of Christmas music or watching of Christmas movies in this house.  Mr. Lime dearly loves certain Christmas movies and likes to watch them all year round.  I'm ok with watching Chevy Chase fall through his attic ceiling or do battle with a squirrel leaping out of a Christmas tree in July but once everyone is wearing their back to school uniforms I'm not ok with it until AFTER Thanksgiving.

The first cold day we had here this fall provoked Calypso to begin playing Christmas carols while she sat in front of the fire.  I threatened to send her to the North Pole if she didn't knock it off.  She told me she'd tell Santa to put coal in my stocking if I did.


My family has been known to hide and pretend they don't know me when I go into a store with them during the autumn and here Christmas music playing.  I became nearly apoplectic this year when I saw Christmas trees being set up as the back-to-school merchandise was put on clearance in September.  "Really, Mom, it'll be ok.  Just breathe.  Inhale...exhale....avert your eyes.  (looking at other shoppers)...She forgot her meds this morning."

Now, is all this because I dislike Christmas itself?  Not at all.  I love it.  I just want things in their proper season and not just because I am rigid about things.  I just think it's important to take time to consider the blessings we have in our life, meditate on them, and express gratitude for them.  Since we have Thanksgiving on the calendar in November I relish the time during that month to engage in the process of being grateful.

September is so busy with going back to school and finding the new rhythm of the school year.  October is a blaze of glory in colors and my favorite month just for sheer beauty.  The shortening days of November in it's golden, slanting light seem perfect for inner reflection, for thought, for pause before winter.  I have never been one who likes to be rushed through anything.  I am a fan of efficiency but not of cramming so much into a space of time that I feel breathless trying to get through it all.  I like the pauses, the silences, the chance to consider.  The days leading up to Thanksgiving seem to offer that chance with the bonus of allowing for the meditation to focus on gratitude rather than crass consumerism.  I have no intention of letting it be yanked from me.

So you can call me a grinch but Thanksgiving comes first.

25 comments:

IT (aka Ivan Toblog) said...

Hear, hear!
(that's not an editorial comment, though it could be... it means I agree)

stephen Hayes said...

Thanksgiving should definitely come first. It used to be bad enough that Christmas ads came before Thanksgiving but now they come before Halloween. That's just wrong.

Cricket said...

No questions where I stand on this. Yeah... this year it was also starting in September here. When I first wrote my own post, it was mid-October. Ugh.

Cricket said...

p.s. - and then they all moan and groan about disappointing sales on Black Friday! Well, maybe if you hadn't been selling Christmas for months already....

Suldog said...

Thank you, my dear friend. It's begun snowing up here and this was just what I needed to warm my soul.

(Link will be supplied next week in my blog, but right now on the Facebook page.)

Craig said...

Right you are, my friend. It's not like Thanksgiving doesn't have an enriching message in its own right.

And honestly, what the stores are promoting has about as much to do with Christmas as, oh, I dunno, fish have to do with bicycles. . . ;)

But you know, when there's money to be made. . .

Michelle H. said...

A great post and deep sentiment. Let the holidays be holidays and not days where the stores leach every last cent out of our pockets.

Hilary said...

Well said. The sentiment is shared by so many. I'm glad to see Jim get this support.. and written so beautifully just makes it all the better.

Commander Zaius said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Commander Zaius said...

I became nearly apoplectic this year when I saw Christmas trees being set up as the back-to-school merchandise was put on clearance in September.

September!? I can easily beat that. Down here in my Southern suburban Hell its easy to see Christmas items on display in mid-August. In fact I find it surreal to see Halloween and Christmas stuff sharing an aisle in a store.

Other Mary said...

Hear, hear! Well said!

Bijoux said...

I was at BabiesRUs today, buying a shower gift, when I realized I was hearing that damn WHAM Xmas song about love gone wrong. I felt very unchristian like, let me tell you.

Kat said...

Yep! I am the same way. I absolutely refuse to put up anything Christmas related until Dec 1st or after. I remember when my parents didn't put up our Christmas tree until a few days before Christmas. To me, that just makes the anticipation (and the event) that much sweeter.

Secret Agent Woman said...

I can't say it upsets me to see Christmas stuff - I just shake my head and keep moving. For me, the Christmas season begins December 1st, when the kids eat the first chocolate in their Advent calendars. I buy my tree the first weekend in December. From there it is full-on Christmas until usually New Year's. But I don't go much for the commercial aspects anyway. In our home we do modest gifts and just try to do Christmas-y things together.

~Dragonfly~* said...

Well said. I too almost lost it when Christmas music was being played in the store before Halloween!!!

Dave said...

I see no wrong in that Michelle. A time and place for everything and everything in its place huh? - Dave

Daryl said...

YES! I use Instagram a lot .. now when someone posts a photo of stores decked out in christmasy stuff i comment with #ThanksgivingComesFirst .. there's gonna be a lot of photos under that hash tag

silly rabbit said...

I do agree 100%. Very well said dear lime. =:]
I just wrote my TCF post before coming here. Things are too crazy, too rushed. We all need to slow down and relish what is before we hurry to what will be.

G-Man said...

Maybe so but.....
I'm wearing Christmas sox as we speak!
:P:P

Jocelyn said...

...or ignore Christmas all together and just have one hella good Solstice Meal.

I'm a dreamer.

Anonymous said...

"...I go into a store with them during the autumn and here Christmas music playing..."

that's a neat trick....as opposed to there....

i did watch It's A Wonderful Life about three weeks ago....

Leave It To Davis said...

Some of our neighbors were putting their Christmas decorations out today. They turned on lights tonight. I was appalled. I will NEVER put my tree or decorations out before the Saturday after Thanksgiving, no matter how much I spent on them or who is trying to coerce me into displaying them earlier! This is law in my house and I am the police there!

TexWisGirl said...

hooray for you. congrats on your POTW!

Dianne said...

yes! yes! yes!
and now the stores are opening on Thanksgiving Day!!
I saw a woman crying because she was told she'd be fired if she didn't work that evening
so she'll have to leave her family at 6 PM on Thanksgiving
horrid

brava on your POTW
well deserved

photowannabe said...

I'm right there with you.
I really got upset to see Halloween and Christmas things in the same aisle at the store.
Just wrong!