I picked up a prescription this morning and a 10-foot plastic Xmas trees with very large gold balls greeted me inside the store. Isn't this pushing it?

There is already Christmas candy everywhere and Wal-Mart looks like Santas workshop exploded. Actually I was seeing Christmas stuff for sale before Halloween. Too soon? Who knows?

I've seen Christmas things in stores as early as late September. And in the past week I've seen so many TV commercials that are holiday centered. It always surprises me every year and I don't know why. This is commercialism....get those registers ringing!! It also lays the stress on you to get out there and spend money. I LOVE Christmas....and I try harder and harder every year to be less pressured and just enjoy.

I counted and have rceived 27 catalogs so far beginning last August featuring Christmas stuff...But in their defense, you do have to get those orders in early to get them on time for the holiday.

I have heard that the sales of candy for Halloween have doubled since they started putting it out in August. I imagine the same goes for Christmas stuff.

I guess I am a bit old fashioned, but I still wish that the marketers would wait until after Thanksgiving.

You probably won't believe this as I saw it and couldhardly believe my eyes. Today at the Mall, Santa made his first appearance with his sleigh in the parking lot. I wondered why all the kids were there. He was a great looking Santa, and everyone was taking pictures, but come on, this is a bit early wouldn't you say???

Considering the economic outlook, retailers are trying to get people into the stores early. The surveys I have seen say the majority of consumers will wait until Christmas Eve to shop and will then cut back on entertainment and major purchases. With all the current layoffs and the housing market crashing, it may be a hard season for many.

Anne, I've never seen that before, $mas. How clever.

I loce Christmas so I don't mind seeing everything early. However, it does make me think that I better get shopping, and that's exactly what the marketing industry is all about.

I don't recall having Thanksgiving decorations as a kid. Do you? Now the stores have lots of products for Thanksgiving. Wild, huh?

Chatty, I can't believe Santas are already out. Or should I say $antas. I love that, Anne, and I'm going to use it. Very clever.

I have always loved Christmas better than any other time of the year....but....don't you all think that each year can be a bit different? For years, I loved it and started early preparations (to the amazement of most)mostly up until my divorce. Nothing has ever been the same since. Each year I do my best and try so hard to make the best of it but it's nothing for me to be driving along in my car and hear a Christmas song and melt into tears. I guess the best way to describe it is bittersweet. My love for it is still very much there but as life changes and more loss comes and goes, it is more bittersweet than ever and I suspect many feel this way. On a lighter note, when I lived in a parsonage (hubby was the senior pastor) we lived across our cul de sac from the young associate pastor and his wife. She and I had "races" each year to see who would decorate first. The "competition" got really intense as the years went by and she ALWAYS won! One year, and sadly it was to be our last holiday there (though I didn't know it then), I was determined! I waited until they left early one morning and knew they'd be gone until evening....I decked that place out like a gingerbread house....tree, lights blinking, trees blinking and waited for them to arrived home and s-l-o-w-l-y round the driveway by our house. I was waving in the picture window! Needless to say, I got a congratulatory call immediately. It was October 13th!!! We were the talk of the church (and I really don't ever want to know ALL of their comments)!