ARGH! Christmas junk in the stores, Christmas ads on TV.....

[Jade Fox]

lights going up on houses in my neighborhood.

Did miss about a month somewhere? My calender says its Nov. 12th.
(I actually saw the first TV ad on Nov. 1st)

I used to like Christmas. Really I did. But now by the time it actually
comes around I feel like I've been beaten to death with it.

[amber dog democrat]

1. What is Christmas ?

Is it something important ?

[Tesibria]

2. At LEAST 10 catalogues a day in the mail ....

... since the week before halloween. Every single day.

(and yes, I've been counting them. weird, I know.)

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

10. Oooo I adore catalogs! Are they good ones?

[Tesibria]

26. well some , yes ... but

... right now, my "disposable" income is going to ... "fund the revolution," so I just throw them away so I won't be tempted. (I still indulge in Amazon, tho -- it's an addiction I have no interested in overcoming at the moment.)

~Tes
News & Views from the Left at www.democracyiscoming.com - Proud to be Member of the Moral Minority at www.cafepress.com/tesibria - Spotlight on the Real Morals of the alleged "Moral Majority" at www.redmorals.com

[RevCheesehead]

3. Just for the record:

My avitar is reflective of the Grinch who stole this election, nothing more. ;)

[Jade Fox]

6. Okay, I forgive you. ;)

[ewagner]

4. Spend, spend, spend (and God Bless America)

That's what's going on...the economy isn't that good and it's an effort to shore up retail sales....

My neighbors are putting lights up too but in this area they put them up before the snow flies and don't take them down until spring...they dont turn them on until after T-giving and off after new year's ....it's a regional thing here........

[Phillycat]

5. It's the most wonderful tiiiiime of the year!

I love Christmas. :) I start getting excited about it as soon as I see the first ad or hear the first carol, and my excitement lasts until well after New Year's.

As I said on another thread, I'm especially excited about this year since I decided not to give or receive presents. It really is all about the spirit of the season now. :)

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

9. Yeah when you cut out the stress of picking out and buying

gifts, it REALLY does make it great. I think that was the #1 reason I started liking Christmas again.

I send something to my inlaws who live VERY far away and I buy for my husband and daughter and that's it (I have no other family). My best friend and I would rather enjoy our time together than buy shit for each other.

[Phillycat]

11. No kidding!

You said a mouthful. My best friend and I are already constantly giving each other unused makeup, clothes, and home items because neither of us have any room anymore. What the heck do we need to wrap them up in Christmas paper for?

I don't have a husband or children and my BF is a scrooge, so I truly am free as a bird! No presents whatsoever! Just fun, food, singing carols (we're going caroling this year), and sitting around talking and laughing.

[mvd]

13. Yea! - someone like me

I go to the Christmas.com forums well off-season. I'm such a fan that the first signs of the holiday are something I wait the whole year for. I wait until the first day after Halloween to get too excited, since I want the season to be special. I enjoy all aspects - the giving, receiving, the religious aspect, the decorations, the music, the time with family, and the magical feeling that can briefly return you to your youth. To each his own - I love Christmas.

[RevCheesehead]

14. nah - that's a "Back to School" commercial for Staples.

In my opinion, one of the best ads ever!!!

[Phillycat]

15. I know, I love that commercial!

Makes me laugh every time. I hope the dad in that commercial got cast in some other roles, he deserved it!

[madmax]

7. I quit doing all the craziness years ago.

Waste of time and money. Makes no sense to me. Store all the stuff for 11 months to spend a week putting it up and another taking it down. Using up valuable storage space that can be used for necessities.

Now I buy a few pointsetta plants, put a wreath on the door, extra candle and scent aound the house and I'm done. It's great. It's so totally liberating!!! :bounce:

I did that whole nine yards when my son was a child. Now let him do it for his kids. They couldn't care less if G'ma has a tree and lights as long as she coughs up the big ticket gifts ;)

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

8. First,

I know how you feel. I used to feel the same way. Then I decided to just ignore the house lights until I was ready to notice and enjoy them (they just don't hit my radar until then) and I decided to cut WAY back on consumerism this time of year (the exact opposite of what "they" want you to do).

I go to the grocery store and Costco about this time and really stock up so I don't have to go as much. I get my shopping done(and we really don't buy many gifts at all) online or in second hand bookstores, etc. Or I give donations in the person's name to charities we both agree with, if I know they will like that (my best friend loves it and we are both liberals).

Stay away from the consumerism. It's the death of enjoying Christmas. Put on blinders when you go past those houses with lights on them!

And remember, Christmas is REALLY about having fun! Drink too much! Eat too much! Only be around people you like! LOL!

[Jade Fox]

12. I stopped giving presents to anyone but children years ago....

so the shopping thing is not an issue with me. Even with kids I go for
gift certificates if they're old enough.

I guess its mostly the ads on TV (and I don't watch that much TV!) that
manage to inject Christmas into everything, even when not particularly
appropriate.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

18. Don't watch TV at all

like I do. Or mute it every time commercials come on. Or get Tivo, which I am considering doing. You can fast forward through commercials! YAY!

I hate commercials myself. HATE them. All year long. So I never listen to them or watch them.

[The empressof all]

16. I'm a Christmas Fundamentalist

I need everything traditional: The tree, The tacky lights, lots of presents and yes even fruitcake.

Santa is my best friend in December

And yes DU, I still believe

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

19. I heart you.

:loveya:

[The empressof all]

22. I'm starting to gear up already how about you

The Sat. after Thanksgiving is cookie and candy making day in our house. This year We'll be doing

* Spritz -with a cherry of course
* Homemade Caramels- just because I love them
* Bourbon Balls-
* Velveeta Fudge-Sounds disgusting but the easiest fudge to make and surprisingly creamy

* Peppermint Bark---I have a secret stash of peppermint canes left over from last year.


I'm doing fruitcake tomorrow because it needs time to sit and steep in it's luscious bourbon and rum goodness

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

25. OMG

ok, here's the deal here: I'm giving my daugher a cookie press for her birthday, which is in early December. She LOVES to bake and cook and is finally old enough to do pretty well on her own (she's turning 10). And she loves nothing more than making cookies, thus the cookie press. It comes with ten different thingies to make different shaped ones and I bought her four packs of Sugar Cookie mix (making from scratch still a bit hard, but with the packets, she can do it almost totally on her own). I also bought those sprinkles and stuff, different kinds.

I'm definitely making rum cake this year (mmmmmm) and we have to sit down this weekend and plan out our Thanksgiving menu. It's just the three of us, so we just get a turkey breast, but we like to have fun with different and traditional side dishes. She's in charge of the desserts this year! We even type up our menu in Printmaster and put different graphics on it and print it out. We're dorks!

Christmas morning is ALWAYS Mr. Moonbeam's deal. He grew up some years in Germany and is very fond of this Christmas breakfast: elaborate pastries, cheeses, and chocolates. Nothing is hot. One year I made a breakfast casserole the night before to pop in the over (man it was good, too) and he was mad. He goes to a German bakery in Dallas for the pastries and stuff and takes our daughter. It's fun for them.

I could write forever on this subject!

[The empressof all]

27. OMG Back right at you

I have the best Spritz recipe---I'll dig it out and post it in a day or two. It's really easy to make and soooo much better than packaged mix. The trick with the cookie press is you have to have the dough at the right temperature or it will be too soft or too hard to press. I still struggle with it every year.

Rum Cake????? Yum!!!! Is it made with Mincemeat? I need to know!

I make the breakfast casserole the night before too! Do you use ham, sausage or bacon?

We are just three here too. I still do everything to the nth degree though. I'll be having a friend or two for Thanksgiving but Christmas is just us.

Thanksgiving is a far bigger deal food wise with Hubsie. We do all the traditional stuff and always make Spinach Pie. He'd kill me if I give out the recipe---(It's his feeble attempt to retain power) But it's luscious

Looks like I found a friend, Moonbeam

[giant_robot]

17. I hate Christmas!

The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don't ask why. No one quite knows the reason.
It could be that my head isn't screwed on quite right.
It could be, perhaps, that my shoes are to tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
Is that Christmas is a total pain in the balls.

Apologies to Dr. Seuss.

[Atlas Mugged]

20. Walmart had christmas crap out....

...in late August. I kid you not. But, after the shock (and depression) wore off, it acted like a vaccine and now I'm oblivious to it all.

Another good thing: leading up to the "election", I got so sick of seeing campaign ads on TV that I quit watching the damned thing altogether. I've continued my boycott and it's very liberating. I'm watching about 3 hours of TV, total, a week now.

[Borgnine]

21. I enjoy Christmas.

It takes me back to a simpler, more innocent time when I didn't have a concern in the world. The lights and all that jazz... I'm a sucker for it. I do agree it's starting WAY too early though. As Lewis Black once said, when did Santa start getting up in Halloween's ass? Jesus people, Thanksgiving should be the beginning of the holiday season.

[TexasLady]

23. certified christmas junkie here too

i try to do it as pagan-y as possible, so the gawdier the better!:D

Since we were Jehovahs Witnesses, my sis and I go MORE nuts with it for the kids. My oldest is gone now, so I wont have him this year..but other than that sad part:(, my oldest girl is going to help with the trimmin, and the other two are gonna help with the bakin, and we're gonna have a blast!

I had my eleven yr old last Sunday swingin the trees with lights, and he would put a chimp to shame(did i say that?:D) I turn them on the day after Thanksgiving.

As far as presents,Im gettin the kids an x box and Im done. OK, I hope Im done.

By December 26th I will be totally sick of it and wishing for swimming pools. But for now, the best part is the whole part before the 25th.

[Modem Butterfly]

24. I had an issue with that today at my office...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x1993064