Bring on the Jollitude!

[dawn_felagund]

Every year, Bobby and I have a bet about when we will see the first outdoor Christmas decorations in our area. The winner gets bragging rights. Our area has an exceptional amount of jollitude: that seasonal spirit that inspires people to leave up Christmas decorations November through February

Comments

[dreamflower02]

There are already decorations up here, and there are still Halloween and autumn/Thanksgiving ones up too.

We did not decorate for Halloween this year, as we couldn't afford the candy, and we did not want to disappoint trick-or-treaters, who take decorations as a sign there is candy. But I put an autumn wreath on the front door, and we may or may not put up some more of our fall decorations between now and next week.

I strictly forbid the DH from putting up Christmas before Thanksgiving. Our tradition has always been to decorate either Thanksgiving day or the day after. But he always wants to jump ahead to Christmas.

And he's addicted to schmoopy Christmas specials on TV. We've already seen three.

[spiced_wine]

Aww, none here yet. Well: there probably is, but I don't get out enough to see them. There is one man who lives on a busy road whose house is an extravaganza every year. He stands outside in a Santa costume at night, turns his house into a grotto for the children, (parents can take them in for nothing, just a donation) and collects for local charities; a different one each year. Even if the night is freezing he's always outside with his collecting bucket, and people beep him in their cars, or wave. If there's a traffic jam, which there is at rush hour there, he'll walk down the cars with his bucket and people put their change in. He's done it for years, and all off his own bat.

I bet his house is already decorated, but I don't go that way very often.

[angelica_ramses]

There used to be a tradition here (Spanish? Italian?) that Christmas decoration were put up on December 8th until January 6th. That was until globalization arrived in the far South and so now you start finding malls and shops already full of fake snow, reindeer, mistltoe and other typical South American flora and fauna in early November. And Christmas carols in English too! It pisses me off mightily!

[surgicalsteel]

They were starting to put up Christmas decorations at the Magic Kingdom while Mr. Steel and I were in Orlando - but given the magnitude of decorating, the limited work hours in which to do it (while the park's empty of guests), and the fact it's got to be done by Thanksgiving, I wasn't surprised. Haven't seen any actual decorations up here in Maine yet, though.

Although I was asked to buy a Christmas wreath to help fund an OR nurse's grandson's swim team.

[indy1776]

Not by Thanksgiving. They start having their hard-ticket Christmas parties in early November. (My sister works backstage Magic Kingdom, and they're swamped right now.)

[surgicalsteel]

You're correct, of course. It was kind of amazing, really, we were walking by the park entry on Nov 1st and the Hallowe'en decorations were still up (the last Not So Scary Hallowe'en Party was Nov 1st), and then we were actually in the park on the 4th and it was Christmas.

[indy1776]

I bet that was amazing! I love how Disney decorates for the holidays.

[indy1776]

I'm just glad that stores here waited until after Halloween to start decorating. I haven't see any individual decorations, though. They're fall/Thanksgiving themed right now.