Above is a cropped shot taken of three of my kids in Central Park in NYC on Nov. 23, 2007. It was the day after Thanksgiving, the day merchandisers call “Black Friday.” It was bitterly cold, and those cups of hot coffee were welcome.
I show you this in order to note that, to the best of my recollection, that was the first time I ever saw the red Starbucks “holiday cups.” Ever since then, I’ve been happy to see them come out again each year, because I have pleasant associations with that trip to New York.
I was a bit less delighted than usual to see them come out this year on Nov. 1, All Saints Day. Yes, when kids had hardly dented their candy hauls from Halloween.
That, to me, is going too far.
Nor was I thrilled to receive the below promotion on Veterans Day. The text with it said:
One Cyber Monday a year just isn’t enough. That’s why it’s a month-long event here at Musician’s Friend…
No, actually, one is quite sufficient, thanks. Or if you must have two, have the second after the usual one. Have three or four, if you like. I’m all for everybody making a living. But wait, please…
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I began hanging Christmas lights the weekend after Halloween. I’ve already seen Holiday Inn and a couple of other cheesy made-for-TV Christmas movies this year (we need a top-10 list for this, but maybe it’s too early for that). My mp3 player is packed full of the holiday season’s best songs (another top-10 list). I am eagerly anticipating the TSO concert next Friday night, which will the first of several holiday outings for us.
Merry Christmas!
You are being modest, Norm. Hanging Christmas lights for you would seem to be a multi-man year project. As one who saw your home display last year, it’s one of the best in Columbia.
If Norm’s lights are the best in town, I want to come see them!
Blog field trip!
Me too!
Sounds like fun. Let’s pick a night close to the holiday, and we’ll have hot chocolate and cookies waiting for you.
Thank you for the kind words, Doug. My nominee for Best of Columbia is the Woomer Family in Irmo. More professional, intricate, time-consuming and expensive than what I do.
It really doesn’t take as long to hang them as it might appear. I estimate it’s about 6,000-8,000 lights, but the show makes it seem like more. And I try to hang them easy. The hardest physical part is wrapping the trees. Programming the songs is tedious.
With apologies to Brad for pushing the season, here’s a sample of my lights for those who haven’t seen them.
My daughter made a reference to the movie “Elf” last night, and I joined in with a quote from it. But that’s because we had just looking outside where it was, however briefly and vainly, snowing…
My point being that, if it’s snowing outside, everybody gets a pass for mentioning Christmas stuff. If it’s snowing in July, go ahead and quote “Elf.” You have my permission. You’re welcome.
Just FYI, Advent — much less Christmas — doesn’t even start until Dec. 1. That’s two weeks and four days off.
Actually, that’s closer than I thought, come to think of it…
Christmas starts the Saturday after Thanksgiving – at the earliest (except for people like Norm who have to get ready to make other peoples’ Holidays spectacular). That does not include a single retail establishment; if they have Christmas up in October – which many did – I just turned around and left. Voting with the wallet on that…
The only pass I will give to Christmas creepers is stores like craft stores that sell supplies for people to make (horrifyingly tacky) decorations with….there’s some lead time in that endeavor
And, of course, Norm’s reputedly awesome light display…
Actually, tacky might be a better description…
I’m all for voting with wallet. The only things I’ll try to get before Advent are candles, 3 purple, one pink.
Blue is the new purple for Advent, I thought.
Amen to that, Karen.
Either will do. It’s the intent to put God first in the preparation that counts, I think. Plus I tend to do traditional colors, etc. –If it was good enuf for Joseph and Mary, it’s good enuf for me!
But blue is Mary’s color!
She wore it; she didn’t burn it!
one doubts colored candles were available, even for ready money, in Galilee circa year 0
Norm, this old geezer once drove a purple minivan and still cherishes disco music. So tacky is absolutely fabulous in my book. Hopefully I can join the party.
Blame the Krauts, Brad. German Catholics did indeed invent Santa Claus as we know h[H]im today to market their wares. #Truth#