The spouse and I went to Target the morning after Halloween, and sure enough, they were right in the middle of the annual swag swap. There were still Halloween ghosts and pumpkins hanging from the ceilings, but slowly overtaking them were shiny snowflakes and ornaments. We captured one corner of the store in mid-transition.
Target the day after Halloween
I can see why they do the swap surreptitiously, early on a Sunday morning. There’s something about seeing the trimmings of two holidays at the same time that makes the holidays feel so corporate and inter-changeable. The Christmas lover in me rejects the idea that all holidays are created equal. But in the eyes of corporate America, it might not be far off. (With the possible exception of Thanksgiving, which marketers still haven’t had much luck turning into a moneymaker.)
If you, like me, get a secret thrill when the Starbucks cup begins to feature snowflakes, fear not. Slow Christmas isn’t here to judge. We’ll be chronicling the annual rituals honestly, from the Christmas retail forecast to Black Friday to after Christmas sales, with a little help from you. Slowing Christmas down is about more than buying less stuff. It’s about taking a closer look at our motives, and the motives of the people who’re selling us stuff, and asking if there might be a better way to keep Christmas. But if a peek at the seamy insides of Lucy’s “Big Eastern Syndicate” doesn’t make you feel the strong urge to stay at home and bake cookies, I’ll eat my Santa hat.
We are making Christmas even slower by reflecting on the real reason it’s celebrated: THE BIRTH OF JESUS. My husband and I will certainly be spending more time and giving thanks for all the wonderful (non-materialistic) gifts we have received this year…….good health, great family, and fantastic friends. We will also be watching our favorite Christmas movies, along with drinking egg nog and eating Porter’s fruit cake, which by the way is getting a good soak of brandy…..Hee Hee!
Merry Christmas Tom and Porter