Tis not the season

So this evening when I signed on to my computer I found an invite to a Christmas party waiting for me on Facebook, and I promptly declined the invite.

 Here's the deal, it's November. Christmas and the Christmas season are in December, November to me is about the birthdays of at least 20 family and friends, and of course my own birthday. In recent years it's become about raising awareness about prostate cancer and research with the Movember campaign.

Most importantly, November is about Remembrance Day, taking time to remember those who fought and those died in times of war so that we could enjoy the freedoms we have today. I wear my poppy with pride and I remember my Grandfathers and think about a great uncle I never knew. I think about friends I have who are serving their countries today and I thank them all for the work that they do.

I know people always say that Christmas always seems to come earlier every year, bit that's because we as a society are either letting or forcing it to come earlier. I read a news story last week that Shoppers Drug Mart suspended playing Christmas music in their stores until further notice because they got a barrage of complaints that it was too soon to be playing it.

I couldn't agree more with the complaints, I'd be one of the complainers. I hate that HitsFM started their "Countdown to Christmas" on November 1st. We all know when Christmas Day is, we don't need a two month countdown reminder leading up to it. We don't need the commercial pressure that this tries to impose.

Now don't get me wrong by any means here, I love Christmas as much as the next person. I love gatherings with friends, I love having a glass of "spiked" eggnog, I love a light dusting of snow on Christmas Day to help give it that special feeling. I worked for two seasons as Chris Moose, talking to kids about Christmas and singing carols for them. I worked for a season as a Mall Santa, posing for pictures and asking kids what they wanted from Santa. When the season comes, I'm as jolly as the Claus himself. I've got a collection of Christmas music, traditional and humorous that rivals most peoples regular music for sheer number of songs.

When the season comes, I will join in all the merriment and enjoyment that it can bring. But I will stress again, Christmas happens in December, not November... ever!

"To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn) " - The Byrds

Truer words were never spoken and let's keep it that way.

Later

Steve