Weekend Assignment #293: It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

At least in the stores it is. So far we still have green grass. Let's hope it stays that way for a while.

Karen's assignment this week is about the holidays and when they start for us.

Weekend Assignment: #292: Halloween is behind us, Thanksgiving ahead, and Christmas advertising has begun. So how about it? When do the holidays begin for you? Do you avoid thinking about Christmas and Hanukkah until after Thanksgiving, or is any time after Halloween okay? Is it time for Christmas lights in your neighborhood, and do the neighbors agree with you? How about Christmas music? When does that become okay, if ever?

I'm not a huge fan of Christmas decorations going up in the stores right after Christmas. It has nothing to do with the fact that Thanksgiving isn't here yet, or that it contributes to the commercialization of Christmas. I don't care about that. I just hate that it makes me stressed out thinking I have less time to get presents. True, Jenn does most of the shopping now, but I'm a last minute shopper, so I don't want to think that last minute is here already. Does that make any sense? Sure, you could say that the decorations up early would remind me to go shopping so I'm not doing it on the last minute, but that's just stupid. Once I realize I have a month-and-a-half until Christmas I just forget about it until the next time I go into the store. That's why I avoid stores from now until December 22nd. It's easier on my heart.

What was the question again?

Oh, yeah. I have noticed people put up lights on their house, but they aren't turned on yet. Here in the Midwest you put them up when the weather is nice. That way when you go to turn them on and they don't work when it's cold and snow, you can say that at least you made an attempt.

And Christmas music? Well, that's playing here on the local "Christmas" station. They started last week, which is a little late for them. I want to say they started right after Halloween last year, but it might have seemed that way. I'm not against Christmas music this early. My problem is there is not enough good Christmas music to start this early. Unless you want to repeat the same thing every day, you need to dig deep into the Christmas music bin. When you are dragging out Christmas music sung by cats or dogs, you need to have a better plan.

Extra Credit: Have you bought any holiday presents yet? If not, when do you think you'll start?

Actually, we have bought a few gifts. We bought a Wii due to a special sale, and we picked up a few games today because of a sale. We are out of control! Jenn is going to his some stores on Black Friday. I'll be asleep. I mean, keeping an eye on the kids!

Brownie points

Jenn has been out with the kids most of the day shopping for clothes while I've been in the relative quiet of work. Since I had to stop at the store to pick up a few things, I bought some brownie mix. No Jenn will come home to the aroma of baking brownies. (Yes, I am making them. No, I'm not in trouble.)

I hope it will relieve some of the stress from her shopping day. Of course I just realized I forgot something at the store. I'll wait until she's having a brownie to tell her.

Somebody call the doctor...

Dr. Pepper, that is.

Today was back to school haircut and school supply shopping day. The day didn't start off well, I had the energy of a three-toed sloth from the minute I woke up. I just couldn't get into gear at all. It didn't help that there was no caffeine available in the house for a jump start. So, we went out to get haircuts, came home for lunch, and went to Target for the supplies. That was fun. It's not like all the other schools around here start next week, or anything. But, we got it done. Well, mostly done, there were a few things I couldn't find, and gave up on.

One thing I made sure to get was Dr, Pepper. It was the last six pack of bottles left. I grabbed it, put it in the cart, and thought of nothing else on the way home, except how it would taste. When we got home I grabbed all the bags and took them in the house. Then it hit me. These bags weren't heavy enough to be holding the Dr. Pepper I longed for. A quick searched confirmed my fears. My son had put all the groceries in the cart for me so I asked him were he put the pop. On the button, was his answer. I never looked there in the parking lot. Sigh. Right now someone is enjoying free Dr. Pepper because of me.

Jerk.