Why do people want to celebrate Christmas before Thanksgiving

[demnan]

Honestly, one of my co-workers brought in a huge poinsetta this morning and is already playing Christmas music and the other ones want me to bring in the Chirstmas Tree tomorrow!

Really this is just the 19th of November - I'm not ready for Christmas madness yet! I don't dislike Christmas, but I'd be glad if we could just enjoy Thanksgiving first. Then after I get in our petition signatures to put Kucinich on the ballot I can enjoy the holiday season. Its not time for that yet.

All the holiday parties are scheduled for November 30. What gives? Anyone else notice people going Christmas-crazy earlier this year?

[redqueen]

1. Nah... I'm used to Christmas decorations going up

right after halloween.

I blame turkeys for not being photogenic.

Or... just Thanksgiving in general, for not being associated with pretty decorations. (I have pumpkins on my desk... lots of pumpkins.)

[MissMillie]

2. I would really like to NOT be sick of Christmas before 12/15.

I love Christmas... but that doesn't mean I want to celebrate it for 7 weeks.

[kwassa]

3. Retail starts celebrating Christmas in October

and people are programmed by retail and it's commercials.

What I don't get is Halloween lights. People now decorate outside their houses with Halloween lights. Some are still up.

Also, Thanksgiving is early this year, and the big shopping starts the day after. Black Friday.

[ThomCat]

4. And, why do they insist on subjecting us

(those of us who are not Christian) to 2 Friggin Months of their holiday?

If this holiday is all about peace and love, why do they insist on shoving it forcefully down our throats for 2 months?

[kwassa]

5. it is not about Christianity, it is about capitalism.

Very few of those shoppers will ever be near a church.

[ThomCat]

8. That's a cheap way of absolving christianity

for how they celebrate their holiday. Capitalism wouldn't be able to do this if Christians weren't buying it.

[kwassa]

9. Not cheap at all.

the non-Christian Japanese now celebrate Christmas. It is simply a shopping opportunity.

Shopping isn't celebrating anything.

It is a completely secular holiday for most involved.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. Exactly right--this is not about pushy Christians but pushy retailers

I just came back from Japan, and the department stores were already into the Christmas shopping mode. Only 1% of Japanese are Christian, but Christmas happens to coincide with Japan's tradition of o-seibo, in which you give presents to people to whom you have obligations, according to the Japanese social system. There is no tradition of gift giving among adult friends or family members, although children are given money (o-toshidama) on New Year's Day.

The whole retail Christmas scene is NOT Christians pushing their religion on everyone else. It's desperate retailers (religious attitudes unknown) attempting to drum up some business in what has been a bad year for department stores. Look at the business sections of newspapers, about how retailers are hoping that an early Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving)will save them from losses. (Many retailers make up to half their annual sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas.)

According to traditional Christianity, Christmas starts on December 24 and continues until January 6, the feast of Epiphany. The four weeks before are the season of Advent, which has its own customs (Advent wreaths, Advent calendars, fasts for traditional Catholics and Orthodox) and music (a whole section of the typical hymnal).

In the church calendar, it's still the Sundays after Pentecost.

What I hear around my church is NOT people saying, "Oh goody, we're getting an extra couple of weeks to push our religion." What I'm hearing instead is similar to what's on this thread, "Could we at least finish Thanksgiving first?"

[redqueen]

11. "It is a completely secular holiday for most involved."

Yes!

The plans are working!

[Beer Snob-50]

6. two of our local radio stations played

christmas music all weekend. thought it was a bit over the top. played it though because i was driving part of my boy scout troop to a state forest for a hike and wanted to irriate them.

[MorningGlow]

7. Beats me

I was horrified to discover the local "pap pop" radio station (the one that markets itself as "safe for the family to listen to--no vulgarity!" ) started their 24/7 Christmas music TODAY.