Something entirely un"real"ated

It's that time of year again...you know, the holiday season. Or has it been for a while? Retailers seem to be jumping the gun well before Thanksgiving to promote holiday sales and Christmas shopping. I visited Macy's two weeks ago and their home department was already postered with holiday discounts, Christmas trees and decor all over... Christmas and holiday dish towels...you name it. And the music.

Snow. Let it snow. Oh the weather outside is frightful...and the fire is so delightful. But since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

I'll tell you what is frightful! The fact that we are merely two weeks away from the official start of the holiday season with Black Friday kicking it off is very frighening to me. I'm in my mid-twenties, and I completely agree with older generations who say that each year goes by faster and faster as you get older. This year flew by!! 

Or did it? Marketing ploys to get people to start buying earlier than normal are obvious. Seeing Christmas stuff a month or two in advance is now very common. With each season that comes and goes, I often feel as though time flies by faster...then again, that is what we are fed by media and our retailers. 

If we are made to feel as though time is flying by that much faster, we try to get ahead--we feed into it and buy more to make this season better than last. We stretch our dollars because soon we'll be 75-years-old and unable to do it.
 

You know what I think? (And this is coming from a 25-year-old who considers herself high-tech) I think we should just slow it down a hair and actually enjoy the season--however much longer it may be. 

Instead of being pushed to shop and spend, let's instead take a breath and spend time with our families during this slower time of year and enjoy a hot mug of apple cider. Try a new recipe. Turn the chaos into peace. 

Anyway, that's my two-cents. And no, I refuse to sing along to Christmas tunes and hang my decorations until well after Thanksgiving. Just saying!

Have a great day, everyone and HAPPY AUTUMN!