*cue the Jaws theme song or some other ominous music to herald the advent of something lurking around the corner*

Or play Trans-Siberian Orchestra's take on Christmas music. I can listen to that almost anytime because it's more rock music than Christmas music...

Oh yes, I know... Thanksgiving is still further away from this moment in time than Halloween is, but you can't escape from it. It's everywhere. It's in the malls already, and the grocery stores, and the Hallmark stores. It was there weeks before Halloween. And some places are already playing Christmas music over the intercom systems. That's what's really scary.

And just this morning someone IM's me with a link to a site that's playing Christmas music. Can I run away screaming now? Come on, I don't decorate my tree until the day AFTER Thanksgiving. And while some think that that's pretty early to decorate a tree, you have to understand that I fine tune it for 3 days, and then it comes down within 5 days of Christmas.

I was perusing a stitching catalog this weekend that had some Christmas stockings in it, and while I did so A&B started looking too. Upon seeing the stockings, A reminded us that last Christmas Santa forgot to put anything in my stocking. That's right. Santa forgot Mommy's stocking. I pointed out that Santa left me a most excellent present under the tree (a kitted up, with all the silks, Desiderata pattern from Indigo Rose - sans fabric, but I already had a cut in mind for it). A waved that off and said that the stocking is very important, which was rewarded with a most serious nodding from B. A passing DH commented that that was better than receiving a lump of coal or a rock and a stick (which would imply that someone needs a beating).

The girls pondered this for a moment, and then B spoke up. "Mommy, when I grow up, if you're still alive I'll buy you something and put it in your stocking." DH, who had sat down next to us on the floor while I continued going through the catalog, lost it. I kept it together and thanked B profusely.

I suppose, however, from a business perspective that it makes sense that retail is already pushing Christmas. As they watch their Christmas sales start to turn, they'll have something to give thanks for on turkey day. *sigh*

Hey... speaking of Trans-Siberian Orchestra, I'd better wander off and see if we're getting tickets to their show this year. At least they're holding it after Thanksgiving....