What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store......

I feel a certain sort of sadness for people who work for big retail chains such as WalMart or KMart and even Target at this time of year. Christmas is introduced to the masses earlier and earlier each year that I am convinced we will start seeing Christmas displays right along side of Back to School displays in July. The playing of Christmas tunes begins earlier and earlier, something I am not a big fan of. This year, as I walked in one of those big stores well BEFORE Thanksgiving and saw the Christmas displays along with the hearing of Christmas music, I would often pause and say, "Please just give the Turkey his day!". The workers of these retail stores become burned out of Christmas Spirit because it is all they are subjected to for 8 - 10 hours a day during their work shifts almost immediately after Halloween. I was in the company of someone last Saturday night who worked at one of the above named stores and she said she has no Christmas spirit. No joy for the holiday. She doesn't decorate until right before Christmas day and takes down pretty much as soon as Christmas is over. She is tired of hearing the Christmas songs, tired of seeing all the Christmas baubles, tired of self centered, rude, ignorant customers. Tired of it all. My heart sank into sadness.

Christmas has become such a retail holiday. It ranks right up there with Valentine's Day in my book as far as materialistic holidays are concerned. I feel bad for those people who are unwillingly subjected to the madness by the beginning/middle of November already. I understand that places need to make a profit and the earlier they get their Christmas season underway, the more money lined the pockets become, but for whom? Certainly NOT the employees who are working long hours, dealing with despicable people, and having to hear every imaginable version of White Christmas there is, making the workers feel like being voluntarily run over by a reindeer.

I am not sure how to change this. I am not sure there is a way, but it would be my wish that we could. Why can't we wait til December to start our Christmas displays in stores? Why can't we live by something other than the almighty dollar during the year? I wish I knew how to fix this so that people don't feel so overwhelmed by the onslaught of Christmas before they are even able to enjoy the holiday(s) before it.

Today, I am hoping that the lady I spoke to is able to find her Christmas spirit as the days leading up to the big day start flying by. I will do my best to make my shopping trips short and sweet (I do most of my shopping online! Hate stores at Christmas time for an all together different reason!).

Until tomorrow, my friends.....to quote one of my favorites: “And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Think Thankfully!!!