The Day After The Trick-or-Treating
Halloween ended when the clock struck Midnight for November 1st and the moment that occurred it felt like Christmas and Hanukkah decorations magically and immediately appeared. I went into a Target on the 1st to find many employees running around with wild abandon tearing-down the pumpkins and witches as quickly as possibly to put up candy-canes and reindeer as if they didn't have a whole month and most of December to get this stuff prepped.
I went to an outlet Mall with my wife yesterday that has a Hot Topic to browse the Funko Pops and already the location had lights everywhere and gigantic wreaths that look like it would have taken three strong men or women to set-up. Seriously, Halloween is but a recent memory and I was picking-up some horror-themed comics on Wednesday the 1st of November to already to see ads with all our beloved superheroes decked-out for Christmas, be it Batman with a Santa beard or Spider-Man crying about how it's all his fault Uncle Ben won't be home for Christmas (I maybe made that second one up). We are all forgetting the biggest victim here too, Thanksgiving.
Oh Yeah, The Turkey Holiday
Look, I know the history behind Thanksgiving is bullshit and leaves out how after the Native Americans helped the Pilgrims survive the winter that the Pilgrims repaid the Native Americans with genocide. That said, the idea of Thanksgiving being a time when we all come together as a family to enjoy each other's company is pleasant and I personally love me some turkey, gravy, and pumpkin pie (not all mixed together though, that'd be gross). It used to be people wouldn't go all-out with the Christmas decor (or depending how early or late in the year it is, Hanukkah stuff) until after we had awoken from our post-meal stupor of Turkey-day. Now however, you can find ornaments and faux-snowmen for sale in late September and by the time 11/1 rolls around its all about the Christmas trees and Hanukkah Menorahs.
I'm not sure if there is any real solution to this as if you complain about winter holiday stuff being put out too early people either say you're a buzzkill or trying to wage a, "War on Christmas," as some kind of Godless Liberal. Look, I don't have beef with Christmas, but if I may take a page from the Conservative handbook and use one of their phrases against them:
via GIPHY
So yes, let's give Halloween the full attention it deserves and not ignore Thanksgiving either. I love Christmas and Hanukkah plenty but I don't need to be seeing Elves on Shelves or a Mensch on the Bench as soon as Labor Day wraps, damn-it.
Nicely put :)
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