Stop and think. Halloween is the 31st day of October so the retailers have the entire month to sell just for Halloween alone. But they don't anymore they add Thanksgiving items in which Thanksgiving is the 4th Thursday of November. That's not good enough they still want more more more in the store to sell. So they add Christmas which is the 25th day of December.
Now follow me here. It's October and the costumes for my grand-girls are still full price. Most people just take their kids out trick or treating for candy in costumes. The Origin of Halloween's annual holiday, was celebrated each year on October 31, that has roots in age-old European traditions. It originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. However most of us just get costumes for our children and take them trick or treating for candy. So while and before Halloween comes Thanksgiving items are already up weeks in advance and marked 50% off.
It's as if Thanksgiving is the middle child and not a big ado about it. However, Thanksgiving is more important than Halloween. Thanksgiving is a time we thank God or Mother Earth for all the blessings of bountiful food we have had this year. Even if you are homeless being thankful for what you have been able to receive may mean you will get more next year (but no promises).
Thanksgiving meal includes seasonal
dishes such as roast turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed
potatoes and pumpkin pie.
The holiday dates back to November 1621, when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians gathered at Plymouth for an Autumn harvest celebration, an event America considered as "The first Thanksgiving.” But what was really on the menu at the famous banquet, and which of today’s time-honored favorites didn’t earn a place at the table until later in the holiday’s 400-year history? While no records exist of the exact bill of fare, the Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow noted in his journal that the colony’s governor, William Bradford, sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the three-day event. Wild—but not domestic—turkey was indeed plentiful in the region and a common food source for both English settlers and Native Americans. But it is just as likely that the fowling party returned with other birds we know the colonists regularly consumed, such as ducks, geese and swans. Instead of bread-based stuffing, herbs, onions or nuts might have been added to the birds for extra flavor.
However, as a holiday Congress requested a proclamation by George Washington for it to be celebrated as a Federal Holiday and has been every year since 1863. Each having a prayer first for the thankfulness of bounty. In my home we go around the table and ask each person what one item they have been thankful for this year. I know I have many but some don't seem to see the blessings they actual have and they are younger ones. I keep hoping as the years go by they will come up with something.
By now all the Christmas items have been up for a nearly 6 weeks. There is Black Friday and then Cyber Monday. But both are extended online with more discounts like 30%-75% off and free shipping. You are drawn in like a shark. But all this is really not Christmas is about. Sure people like to get a present - but isn't one enough or a card catching you up on their year with your friend faraway. I find giving better, just like the Three Magi also known as the Three Wise Men or Three Kings. These Three followed a path led by a star to find the reason most celebrate Christmas. If you are of different religion please don't take offense. They found the baby Christ and each wise man one by one gave the child gold, frankincense and myrrh. This is how the tradition of gift-giving came about.
I believe Christmas is more about giving than receiving. If you have no money you can still talk to someone, sing a carol, have a coat drive for the homeless and deliver them, make scarfs and hand those out to those who seem to need them also. Go to a Nursing home and take your children and grandchildren "as a child lifts up the hearts of the elderly" I have seen it myself. Have the children pass out candy canes and for those diabetic some other candy. Sing Carols while you are there. Give gifts of socks or scarfs, hats, handmade cards from the kids. Make it wonderful for others. You can also work at a soup kitchen serving Christmas dinner this teaches you Children what Christmas is about. Christ (whether you believe he's a savior or a man) walked among us and did good things for people, especially the needy.
Now our answer to why all this is happening is called: Christmas Creep in which the phenomenon is associated with a desire of merchants to take advantage of particularly heavy Christmas-related shopping well before Halloween and Black Friday.
In my eyes just keep each holiday to it's own month. This monopolizing and mashing of holidays make it just go so fast and less enjoyable for myself,
All thoughts and comments appreciated.
The holiday dates back to November 1621, when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians gathered at Plymouth for an Autumn harvest celebration, an event America considered as "The first Thanksgiving.” But what was really on the menu at the famous banquet, and which of today’s time-honored favorites didn’t earn a place at the table until later in the holiday’s 400-year history? While no records exist of the exact bill of fare, the Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow noted in his journal that the colony’s governor, William Bradford, sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for the three-day event. Wild—but not domestic—turkey was indeed plentiful in the region and a common food source for both English settlers and Native Americans. But it is just as likely that the fowling party returned with other birds we know the colonists regularly consumed, such as ducks, geese and swans. Instead of bread-based stuffing, herbs, onions or nuts might have been added to the birds for extra flavor.
However, as a holiday Congress requested a proclamation by George Washington for it to be celebrated as a Federal Holiday and has been every year since 1863. Each having a prayer first for the thankfulness of bounty. In my home we go around the table and ask each person what one item they have been thankful for this year. I know I have many but some don't seem to see the blessings they actual have and they are younger ones. I keep hoping as the years go by they will come up with something.
By now all the Christmas items have been up for a nearly 6 weeks. There is Black Friday and then Cyber Monday. But both are extended online with more discounts like 30%-75% off and free shipping. You are drawn in like a shark. But all this is really not Christmas is about. Sure people like to get a present - but isn't one enough or a card catching you up on their year with your friend faraway. I find giving better, just like the Three Magi also known as the Three Wise Men or Three Kings. These Three followed a path led by a star to find the reason most celebrate Christmas. If you are of different religion please don't take offense. They found the baby Christ and each wise man one by one gave the child gold, frankincense and myrrh. This is how the tradition of gift-giving came about.
I believe Christmas is more about giving than receiving. If you have no money you can still talk to someone, sing a carol, have a coat drive for the homeless and deliver them, make scarfs and hand those out to those who seem to need them also. Go to a Nursing home and take your children and grandchildren "as a child lifts up the hearts of the elderly" I have seen it myself. Have the children pass out candy canes and for those diabetic some other candy. Sing Carols while you are there. Give gifts of socks or scarfs, hats, handmade cards from the kids. Make it wonderful for others. You can also work at a soup kitchen serving Christmas dinner this teaches you Children what Christmas is about. Christ (whether you believe he's a savior or a man) walked among us and did good things for people, especially the needy.
Now our answer to why all this is happening is called: Christmas Creep in which the phenomenon is associated with a desire of merchants to take advantage of particularly heavy Christmas-related shopping well before Halloween and Black Friday.
In my eyes just keep each holiday to it's own month. This monopolizing and mashing of holidays make it just go so fast and less enjoyable for myself,
All thoughts and comments appreciated.
