It's beginning to look a lot

like Christmas?!?

I've talked about this earlier (see: http://mydaddidntliketheurl.blogspot.com/2004/09/holidays.html) but I feel compelled to mention it yet again. Marisa and I went to the pharmacy the other day to get stuff for her mangled shoulder. I was all set to try to convince her that it would really be in the spirit of our neighborhood to get a skeleton or a spooky scarecrow to put out front in a lawn chair for Halloween. This particular store had lots of great stuff I had seen earlier.

So we go in, and I have my argument all ready, and low and behold what is the first item we see walking in the door? A six foot illuminated candy cane Christmas tree.

ITS NOT EVEN THE END OF OCTOBER!!!

Someone must need a review of the rules. After the fourth of July retailers must make due with "back to school" as a sales concept. After that they get Labor Day sales and then Columbus Day sales. Halloween merchandise may not be shown until after Columbus day - and it should stay on display until Halloween (doesn't seem too complicated). After Halloween, like it or not, the theme has to be harvest or Thanksgiving. Christmas decorations MUST stay in the basement until at least Thanksgiving. Those are the rules. Nobody needs more than two and a half months to prepare for Christmas, ok MAYBE the Macy's parade people, but aside from them everyone should just relax.

So store managers: STOP MAKING EVERYONE INSANE!

I swear, if the people on my street take down their Halloween decoration and put up Christmas decorations (they're really into decorations, one of them had a 6' Easter bunny when we were looking) in the same weekend, I might run for office on the "Its not time for that yet" ticket.