One Season at a Time Please!

Fall is here, the leaves are changing colors and I, along with most people, am trying to make the most of this beautiful season. And yet, everywhere I look, and every store I walk into, time had hit the fast forward button and Christmas items are on display!

I have no problem with Christmas, I love the winter holiday season, but it's not winter yet! It's barely fall! I know that in retail, its essential to get the items out a bit early so people can begin to make preparations and to hit sales goals. It just seems to get earlier and earlier each year. I'm even willing to give a pass to swimsuits available in store in March because people take spring break vacations, but shouldn't I also be able to find one in June or July, when it's warm enough to head to the lake? I'm not thinking about buying a swimsuit in January and February, I'm still bundled up in several layers and scraping my windshield. And the back-to-school sales and ads seem to take over nearly as soon as they let classes out for the summer.

Maybe this has all gone a bit too far. It seems we are so busy getting excited and inundated with ads, products and displays for the next season or holiday, that we don't fully appreciate the season we are in. Like I said, the winter holidays are fantastic, but can't we embrace autumn before we start decking the halls? We haven't made it to Thanksgiving yet, or even Halloween, but winter items have been in the stores since the end of September!

What do you think? Do you think it's too early for holiday items as well? Or do you wish you could sing "Jingle Bells" all year long?