Christmas not too early

By Carol Weimer
Canastota Corner

Some people find something wrong with everything.

There are people who think Christmas is too commercial. They complain that stores put up their decorations too early. Perhaps they are right in many ways, but I think the poor economy has something to do with it this year.

Personally, I don’t care when a store starts decorating for Christmas as long as it isn’t the 4th of July. People don’t need to start their Christmas shopping until they are ready. However, I had a friend who always had her Christmas cards addressed and ready to send when the time came. She wrote them while sitting around her pool in July; it was one thing she could be ahead on. She purchased her cards after Christmas while they were on sale.

There are retirees who leave in the fall for their winter homes in Florida. They do their shopping during the summer before they leave and leave them behind to be distributed at Christmas. They save big on postage

I enjoy all the decorations that a store owner or homeowner puts forth; if we have the opportunity to enjoy them when there is still nice weather to get out, doesn’t it make it easier to appreciate them?

There are many senior citizens’ organizations who plan trips to New York City to view the shop windows and do some shopping. It’s why the stores do the trimming early and there are hours of time put forth to get those windows in the scenes and themes they do such a wonderful job on. Besides that is the time when we people take the time to make the trip before all of the hustle bustle of the times.

I like all of the bright colorful lights of Christmas – it’s the favorite time of year for a good many people and they show it. There is a kind of awe and wonder to a lighted Christmas tree. It gives me a warm happy feeling that tells me everything isn’t commercial. The Christmas tree is a symbol of love. I always get depressed and sad when the holiday season is over and everyone takes down their lights and decorations and it’s gloomy winter again.

Trees in homes generally do not look like trees in public places. Have you noticed this? The ones in the home have family ornaments and keepsakes on them. Homemade treasures handed down from year to year as well as ornaments with names and dates written on them. Souvenirs from trips you have taken over the years that you purchased particularly to place on your tree. They have personalities.

People who put their tree up two weeks before Christmas and the day after Thanksgiving take them down the day following Christmas, sometimes Christmas Day. That is the way they celebrate the holiday. The people, like myself, who put the tree up Christmas week or Christmas Eve leave it up until New Year’s or even Epiphany, January 6. That is why my tree, which is always natural, isn’t put up until Christmas. Some folks leave their trees up until Valentine’s Day or even later. Some wait until Easter. Of course, they have to be artificial trees. We realize mothers whose children bug them to put the tree up a month in advance and then proceed to wreck it almost before the holiday arrives want to take it down Christmas Day are exempt from all of this.