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Health & Fitness

Christmas in July

Do you savor the moment or are you a member of the can't get enough of Christmas klan? Why do stores push the holidays and seasons ahead of schedule so much?

Why, as a society, do we rush things?

Right now I’m still concentrating on my summer tan, and I just saw an ad saying “Back to School Countdown”.  I know that in some parts of the country, kids have already started the 2011-2012 school year, but in NJ, by my calculations we’ve still got a few weeks to go.

I went shopping the other day, and already, stores are selling the long sleeve shirts and sweats.  Depressing.

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Jenkinson’s Boardwalk in Pt. Pleasant even celebrates “Christmas in July”, where you can visit Santa, see the game stands decked out in holly, and buy seashore Christmas ornaments.  For me, one Christmas is enough, thank you.

I got a text the other day from Paula Deen’s twitter feed that reminded me I should be counting down the days to Christmas!  It’s August!

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I don’t get it.  I received a catalog in the mail yesterday from Costume Express telling me I should buy Halloween costumes now. Oy!  I’m still wearing my bikini!

This cycle happens year-round, too.  As in past years, I’m sure before Halloween some stores will already be putting up their winter holiday decorations; and before the coldest days of winter have hit, they’ll be having winter clearance sales.  It boggles my mind how swimsuit shopping makes perfect sense before we’ve even had our first major snowstorm of the season.

I have to admit, the plus side to this, for me, as an eternal “summer girl”, is when the media and retailers do the push for spring and summer by the end of February and I see the new summer preview clothing catalogues in my mailbox.  It gives me something to look forward to.

Why, as a society do we push the holidays and seasons ahead of schedule so much, though?  When I was little I don’t remember seeing Easter candy for sale at the end of February!!?!  It seems like stores and advertisers have picked up the pace even more in recent times.

Is the United States the only country that does this? Is the drive to make money causing this?  Do stores really want to get their revenues from Halloween candy, holiday gifts, and such months in advance?  Why can’t everyone just savor the moment and hold onto the present, as it happens?  Retailers included.  Sure, advertise and decorate a few weeks in advance, but months in advance - I just don’t get it.

 

If you have any thoughts why we push the seasons and holidays ahead of schedule, please post your insight in the comments below.  I’d love to know how this started and why it has accelerated in recent times.

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