Sunday, November 15, 2009

Harumph


You may have suspected that I'm something of a traditionalist. Not necessarily inflexible, just respectful of what came before.

That is why the weeks before Thanksgiving have truly begun to grate.

I'm sympathetic to the need of retailers to have a successful selling season, but I am uncertain why that requires Mrs. T's favorite radio station to begin with the Christmas tunes the day after Halloween. Or why the television networks have already begun airing Christmas specials.

Really, couldn't some things wait until Thanksgiving?

One of the downsides of moving Christmas from late December to mid November is that a sentient adult simply becomes sick of it, long before they hit the stores. I'm going back to my cave now.

On a completly different subject, have you seen Lonny Magazine? Lonny is an online bi-monthly design magazine founded by several escapees from Domino. Frankly, I find reading magazines on-line rather tedious, but it appears to be the future.

Toad

9 comments:

ELS said...

Thoroughly agree - and we don't even have Thanksgiving as an excuse to start the tinselly tosh early.

Have come over VERY bah humbug and still got weeks to go...

Room for a small one in the curmudgeon's cave?
E

David said...

It just sucks the joy right out of the holidays turning it into something to be endured rather than enjoyed.

At some point Brett and I are going to have far fewer family obligations at this time of year, and then we're going to start visiting tropical locales for our holidays. I want to enjoy Christmas dinner wearing only my swim trunks and a dusting of sand on my feet.

Mrs. Blandings said...

A quick trip to the Gap for one of the boys yesterday had me standing in line yelling over the Christmas music, "THIS is why I hate to shop." My 13 year old said, "You need to go on-line." Ha. I don't think I buy more because the shopping season starts earlier and earlier, but what do I know?

Also, I think Lonny looks great, and while I think we will have a larger on-line component, I don't really think print magazines will vanish. If they can just hang-on for the upturn.

Toad said...

ELS come on down.

David: Mrs. T just got word that her college Junior daughter is coming to town the week before Christmas and leaving before the holiday. A sign of the times.

Mrs. B: In my heart of hearts I hope you are right. I wonder if an on-line mag is a better way to build a name than spending oodles of cash and hoping.

ADG said...

As usual...I'm with you to the 99th percentile. We have Christmas stuff out the wazoo everywhere around town...it's just too early. I hate to read mags online.

Gail, in northern California said...

I can appreciate the fact that when their price-to-produce goes up so goes the price of the magazine but, in some instances, they have managed to price themselves right out of business. Similar to what is happening in the greeting card world. I saw a lovely card the other day and was ready to buy...until I turned it over. $6.99 No, I'm sorry but that is way too much to spend on a card. I put it back.

Robert Grundulis said...

Here in Ireland a lot of stores started small-scale Christmas promotions in August!

The in-store Christmas music has been going since mid-September.

I suspect they are trying to destroy all that is special about Christmas, and make us parents have to put up with more and more nagging from out children each year.

Toad said...

Whatever the reason, it's clearly on purpose.

Anonymous said...

I totally agree too. Our local store was putting out Christmas decorations etc, with the halloween candy and the ads started about the same time. I buy things all year and tuck them away so I don't have to shop in Dec. but I can do that without thinking about it all the time. I don't need reminders. But in the fall until january I wish I were living out in a remote woods somewhere I didn't have to see and hear all of this caterwauling they do. Bah Humbug!!