Seeing Red at the Mall

I love Christmas decorations. Walking into a store bathed in holiday lights with bright shiny displays always puts me in a buying mood (too much for myself sometimes, damn you Estee Lauder), but not in mid-November. In mid-November I'm still trying to hang onto to what's left of Indian summer. I don't want to think about cozy fires, a higher heating bill and dashing and slushing through the snow. I want to think of sunshine, fall mums and sweatshirts with scarves. It's two weeks before Thanksgiving for crying out loud!


I took my daughter and her friends to the mall today. I expected the mall decorations to be up. I did not expect to be accosted by a sea of red color. From the large displays of Ohio State gear, to the store front of Macy's to Santa's giant sleigh with SANTA! already on his perch and a line of children waiting to see him. Holy cow! It looks like Christmas threw up in here. I'm so not ready for this and neither is my wallet. Two ladies at the table next to me said that soon Santa will arrive just after the Easter bunny. I'm wondering when the after Christmas sales would start....after the Fourth of July? If we're moving up the decorating and the return of Santa, why can't we must move the holiday to mid-summer? More people have time off then and truly, I would be more inclined to visit my relatives if I didn't have to drive through the snow. Of course, I'd lose my convenient excuse not to visit. Yeah, maybe we'd better leave the holiday right where it is, and I'll simply stay out of the mall.