Christmas Lights

O.K. so now we come to this. I have no problem with decorating early for Christmas, outside. It makes sense in my area , with the weather more agreeable early in November. Decorate but don't turn them on before Thanksgiving.


We have become a spoiled society. Our world has changed. We want instant gratification. If we want something we go out and buy it. When I was a child and wanted a toy or anything, I had to wait until my birthday or Christmas but I see my friends and family buy there kids stuff anytime they want it. They miss the anticipation factor. And they should learn that you can't always get what you want or atleast you can't have it when you want it.


Back before dvd, vhs and 150 channel cable and satellite, the networks would show a movie once a year. Take the Wizard of Ozz for example. They might show it during the Thanksgiving Holiday, since you couldn't own a copy or see it some other time on one of the other 150 channels, you had to watch it when they showed it. This made watching it an event. Mom would make popcorn and Dad would join us for a real family night. We would sing the songs and say the parts we had memorized just from seeing it once a year.


Now kids watch a movie over and over. They become bored. There is no anticipation, no build up to tonights showing. They miss out on tradition. I don't mean just movies either, it's every thing. We move holidays to make them more convenient. We celebrate the Fourth of July on whatever weekends closer to the day. The fireworks seem to rarely be set off on the Fourth. One year we went out to Mount Rushmore, arrived in the area on the third and thought we would go see the fireworks on the fourth. Wrong, the fourth was a Monday so they had the fireworks on the previous weekend. Come on, no fireworks on the fourth, at Mount Rushmore, whatever.


I'm just suggesting that we keep some traditions. Don't give the gifts early. Don't celebrate on the convenient weekend. (at least not all the time). Don't turn the Christmas lights on till after Thanksgiving.