Christmas NewsChristmas Opinion

It’s August and Okay to Think Christmas

Today is the opening of Christmas Creep Season. It happens the first of August every year when the media suddenly discovers the presence of – gasp! – Christmas items in stores. They complain about it endlessly claiming Christmas comes earlier and earlier every year. But let’s get one thing straight right now: it’s August and it is okay to think Christmas.

Like all things in popular culture Christmas has changed in many ways thanks to technology and the shifting make up of families. Christmas is still celebrated and forever will be. But how it is done and when it is done will always be changing.

For example, if your Christmas means bringing family together from long distances now is the time to act on Christmas travel arrangements. You have basically about a month to get your act together on it – both with reservations and securing the lowest prices.

Christmas decorating is very much in season – especially if you are a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to decking the halls.

The next 90 days represent the best weather if you are going to be doing anything ambitious outdoors. It starts with a plan, of course, but climbing ladders, running power cords, and dealing with decorations at the heights of your home is definitely a fair weather activity. There is nothing wrong with getting into it now so that the Christmas light switch-on on Thanksgiving night goes smoothly.

For the Christmas shopper it is a whole new world.

Gone are many malls. Downtowns are dead. August and September used to be the season of Sears Christmas Wish Book that came in the mail just as school was starting.

These days Christmas shopping begins online right now and does not let up until the 2nd week of December – when all the free shipping deals end.

Shopping in September and October is excellent. It is a great time – some say, the best time – to score Christmas bargains on things like electronics, tools, are items that are hard to find come Thanksgiving.

Black Friday used to be a thing. It isn’t any more.

First of all, it starts on Thursday in most places now. And for most weekends between Halloween and Thanksgiving there are door busters to be had. And that is only for those who insist on going into an actual store.

Only suckers do that. Real Christmas shoppers are active right now and usually done before the ads for Black Friday arrive.

What Christmas in August boils down to is more time to actual do Christmas when it is Christmas.

And there is no need to shun it just because the media and a few uptight individuals think Christmas early is Christmas to the extreme. Go ahead and grab that pumpkin spice goodie and get going on Christmas. Tis the season.

Father of 7, Grandfather of 7, husband of 1. Freelance writer, Major League baseball geek, aspiring Family Historian.

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