I stopped off at Costco today on the way home from TaeKwonDo lessons. It was a hectic day, and I hadn't had a chance to get dinner going before TKD so S and I swung by there on the way home on a quest for a tasty frozen meal. We did our usual quick perusal of all things we find interesting, and since it was too late for there to be any samples that cut our route down to the Electronics, Book/DVD and seasonal sections as well as the few food aisles we needed. Actually I wasn't even planning on going through the seasonal aisle, as I had been through it last week, but as I was crossing from the video section and over to the food aisles, it caught my eye.
The glinting of shiny paper, and bows...and was that ceramic thing on the end there something resembling a tree with snow on it? Curiosity took me closer, and sure enough...it was there. Christmas wrapping paper (several assortments), bows, and some kind of reclining elf decoration. Ornaments too. Of course its not full blown yet, but it definitely has begun.
I actually have mixed emotions about this. I hate the commercialism and greed that has become the hallmark (no pun intended, but it was noticed) of the Holiday Season. On the other hand, Christmas is my favorite time of year...because of the lights, the decorations, the music, the giving and the general goodwill toward men. I have been known to break out the Christmas CDs in August, and if not then, almost definitely by the end of September. Not the jingle bell rock kind of music though...that drives me crazy. You can just get rid of all those I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus, and the Rockin' around the Christmas Tree songs. But that is an argument for another blog. Back to my point...I hate the commercialism, but I find myself enjoying seeing the displays, the decorations, the lights up in stores. Sure they are put there to get people to start spending early, but I just like to look at them. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Today's Christmas merchandise at Costco wasn't all that exciting. But it did remind me that within weeks there will be Christmas things up in many places. I can set aside the commercialism and just enjoy the reminders. Maybe we should keep Christmas all year. Maybe not the eating, or we would all end up overweight and with health problems...but the music, the joy, the laughter, the love. The Gift that God gave us all that was meant to be a gift for every day, and not just one day of the year. I think that this year, instead of grumbling about how early they put out the Christmas things, I am going to just try to focus on the wonder of the season and let everything else be a reminder that points me in that direction. So...go Costco go. Please put the light displays up next, they are one my favorite things.
The glinting of shiny paper, and bows...and was that ceramic thing on the end there something resembling a tree with snow on it? Curiosity took me closer, and sure enough...it was there. Christmas wrapping paper (several assortments), bows, and some kind of reclining elf decoration. Ornaments too. Of course its not full blown yet, but it definitely has begun.
I actually have mixed emotions about this. I hate the commercialism and greed that has become the hallmark (no pun intended, but it was noticed) of the Holiday Season. On the other hand, Christmas is my favorite time of year...because of the lights, the decorations, the music, the giving and the general goodwill toward men. I have been known to break out the Christmas CDs in August, and if not then, almost definitely by the end of September. Not the jingle bell rock kind of music though...that drives me crazy. You can just get rid of all those I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus, and the Rockin' around the Christmas Tree songs. But that is an argument for another blog. Back to my point...I hate the commercialism, but I find myself enjoying seeing the displays, the decorations, the lights up in stores. Sure they are put there to get people to start spending early, but I just like to look at them. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Today's Christmas merchandise at Costco wasn't all that exciting. But it did remind me that within weeks there will be Christmas things up in many places. I can set aside the commercialism and just enjoy the reminders. Maybe we should keep Christmas all year. Maybe not the eating, or we would all end up overweight and with health problems...but the music, the joy, the laughter, the love. The Gift that God gave us all that was meant to be a gift for every day, and not just one day of the year. I think that this year, instead of grumbling about how early they put out the Christmas things, I am going to just try to focus on the wonder of the season and let everything else be a reminder that points me in that direction. So...go Costco go. Please put the light displays up next, they are one my favorite things.
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