too early

I ran by the mall last week to look for a new pair of jeans, and when I saw them putting up Christmas decorations, I just couldn't believe it.  Not only is it nowhere near Christmas, we haven't even gotten through HALLOWEEN!  There are still two major(ish) holidays between now & Christmas, but already the wreaths and mistletoe and candles are going up.  Before we know it, there will be Christmas music on the radio, and that's just not okay.

It's not that I don't like Christmas--it's that mid-October is entirely too early to start decorating the mall for it.  Before we know it, the Christmas decorating is going to start so early that we'll have barely finished cleaning up from the year before!  The Christmas season isn't nearly as special if it encompasses 1/4 of the year--that takes away from all the fun of anticipating and getting excited when you first see Christmas decorations go up. 

I remember as a child, getting excited when the town would start to decorate--putting the wreaths up on the lightpoles and wrapping all kinds of things in garland.  It was exciting to see all of the Christmas things out, to see the Christmas tree stands start springing up, and to go pick out a tree.  On Friday, when I saw Christmas decorations in the mall, I cringed.  I don't want that to be my reaction to Christmas, but I also don't want Christmas to start in October!