LOLNoLights

[lolmac]

U duznt need to thank him.
icanhastofu.com
Episode:   Upgrades, Season 4           Screen Capture from:  sg_one_a_days

Comments

[erinm-4600.livejournal.com]

Yup... pretty much THIS.

♥

[campylobacter.livejournal.com]

You tell 'em, Jack. Black Friday Creep starting on Thanksgiving makes me wanna bust heads, too.

[lolmac]

So far this evening, I've seen three different online comments along the lines of "Shop online! Avoid the crowds and pepper spray!"

I never buy anything on the day after Thanksgiving. Period.

[lothithil.livejournal.com]

And take them down promptly after New Years Day, or I start shooting little shiny lights!

[lolmac]

Great for target practice!

[archersangel (from livejournal.com)]

bright idea.

[lolmac]

*g*

[thothmes.livejournal.com]

You've lit on a subject that is close to my heart.

There was one place I went into this year that was playing Christmas music and had decorations up before Halloween! If it weren't for the fact that the majority of our stores around here only opened up after the flooding and distruction of Irene this past week, I would have walked right back out!

I can understand that in the week before Thanksgiving retailers might need to get the decorations up so that when they open on Black Friday (an event I generally boycott too) they will all be up and ready to inspire retail gluttony, but any earlier is SIMPLY RIDICULOUS.

*pant! pant! pant!*

Okay. Rant over now. Back to my normal de-lightful state of equilibrium.

[lolmac]

I've seen three different online comments already along the lines of "Buy online! Avoid the crowds and pepper spray!"

Ack.

I refuse to do anything Christmas-y at all till after Thanksgiving, period.

[thothmes.livejournal.com]

I have to admit with five parents (4 of mine, 1 of his), 4 kids, five sibs of my own, three sibs of his, his two sisters-in-law, my brother-in-law, my aunt and uncle, and our combined flock of eight nieces and nephews, and now a 9th by marriage, if I did it all after Thanksgiving, I wouldn't be able to pay off the credit card bill, or have time to do the essentials, like eat, sleep, and attend the kids' holiday concerts. My husband barely has enough time to buy for me because he works 60+ hours per week. So I'm on the lookout for the perfect thing starting on December 26th, and if I find it I buy it and squirrel it away.

I still won't buy anything holiday themed until after Thanksgiving dinner is eaten, and I don't go out purposely Christmas shopping (as opposed to running into something and saying "Oh, that is perfect for [insert name here]!" and getting it) before then.

I'm not proud of it, but the alternative is to either have ChristmasFail!, or to get carted off to the Mothers' Rest Home for succumbing to the stress of the season.


**************
Edited: Mothers' not Mother's. I know this. Really.

[lolmac]

I have the mixed blessing of having very few people for whom I buy presents. I regard this as an unmixed blessing myself; there are many in my life whom I value deeply, but the relationships I have mostly don't involve mandatory gift exchanges. Some might regard it as a problem that I also don't receive gifts, but for me, that's one of the best parts of the blessing.

So in addition to the many other benefits, I also have the freedom to stay out of the melee. Not many have that freedom.

[thothmes.livejournal.com]

You have the hard-earned and seldom achieved Gift of Contentment.

In this materialistic society, that's a rare blessing.

[lolmac]

*toedirt* Even before I had to pack up everything and move across the country, I already knew I had enough Stuff. (More than enough: I gave away a hell of a lot of it when I moved. The coolest part of that was that I was mostly able to find people who genuinely needed it.)

I still have more than I need.

So my gift list is basically:

1. my partner
2. the member of my partner's family I drew in the gift exchange
3. anyone for whom I happen to run into an obviously perfect gift
4. my sister -- with the caveat that she also doesn't need more Stuff, so it has to be something with a very high love-to-bulk ratio

That's really it. It's easy to shop for Melissa, because I know what she loves and cares about.

But it's not all shiny and enlightened. Too much of my disinclination for gift exchanges is rooted on receiving an appalling percentage of gifts over the years that had no message other than "I don't know or especially care who you are, but I'm obliged to give you something, so here it is." I'd rather not have more of those. It's especially rough coming from family members.

[rdamel.livejournal.com]

I'm definitely with Jack--our Walmart had up its tree the day after Halloween--or maybe before, I just remember being seriously annoyed when I walked in to see that. Far worse would be WORKING retail this time of year and having to listen to those annoying Christmas songs All Day Long--they've been playing in Walmart for what seems like ages now, which hurries me out of the store as fast as I can manage. I think the grocery store has started playing them, too. At least they kept fall-themed things in their floral shop and outside, until the week before Thanksgiving, when they added Christmas wreaths and trees and so on, also.

I'm lucky in the buying part of it, at least--when I quit my job (after 30 years as a librarian) I told my nephews and niece that I'd have to cut way back on the presents they were used to receiving from me at many times of year. Now they get a check that is $1.00 for each year of their life, which stops at $25. when they reach that age, and the boys have already passed it, for both birthday and Christmas, and they get a baked treat of their choice, made by me, also for both birthday and Christmas. For my dad and stepmother, I make a donation to their small country church, which always needs help, and to the food pantry (my dad's a farmer, still at age 83) and they seem fine with that--I know they need and want for nothing.

My sister, who loves Christmas and is easily the most "stuff-oriented" person in the family gets a gift of time--lots and lots of my time, as I tape a favorite show for her daily, plus at this time of year I tape all of Hallmark's and others' holiday movies, which she loves. If she ever gets a DVR I'll have to rethink, but so far this works great for both of us.

If I needed to shop, I'd definitely do as you do and buy what looks good (and hopefully is on sale) all year long--it's just the sensible way to do it!
Melissa M.

[lolmac]

I feel so sorry for everyone working retail! Especially everyone who was yanked out of their homes on Thanksgiving to go tend the frenzy.

I often carry earplugs with me when I absolutely must enter a store in December. I truly love most of the traditional carols, and I want to continue to love them. I also don't want to go into screaming fits at hearing the same old crap played for the gajillionth time.

[rdamel.livejournal.com]

I so agree!

[macsme.livejournal.com]

And to all.. a good Light!, I mean Night.

Sorry, guys, I got a bit confused by all the Christmas chats.
Happy Thanksgiving to All!