November 6, 1985
I overheard a gentleman in the check-out line the other day tell the cashier he had just completed all his Christmas shopping. Since I was in the process of buying trick or treat candy at 5:30 on October 31st and wondering if the first group of witches and ghosts were ringing the door bell at home, I could have said a few choice words to that man.
I haven’t thought about what to serve my family on Thanksgiving let alone have my Christmas shopping under control at this point in time on my Girl Scout calendar.
Every year the Christmas season seems to arrive earlier than the year before. If it keeps up the jolly old man will be arriving on water skis pulled by a boat instead of a sleigh behind reindeer….
The fact people can actually get organized and put themselves in the Christmas-buying mood so early in the year is amazing. I have to be wearing my winter coat, scraping ice off the windshield and have watched the re-run of “Frosty the Snowman” before I even begin to think about who might like what this year.
This early in the season I would be asking a lot of “What If” questions with each purchase.
- What if the gift I buy today has to be returned Dec. 26th? I can’t produce sales receipts two days later let alone months after the fact.
- What if the doll my daughter can’t live without today isn’t on her Christmas list in December?
- What if the kids change sizes in the next month?
- What if items I buy now go on sale later?
- And worst of all what if I forget my October hiding places come Christmas Eve.
Needless to say I’ll probably be standing in the check-out lines on Christmas Eve behind some nut who had just bought all his valentines.
CCW