Driving through my beloved south side of Syracuse where I have never been shot or mugged while doing business at the Post Office on South Salina Street at Colvin, or while borrowing books with my children at the Beauchamp Branch, or when purchasing used furniture from Percy Jones, I saw something that caught my eye tonight; the decorative snowflakes on the light poles that say “It’s Christmas”.
I’m sure some will argue the snowflakes celebrate the upcoming winter season more than a particular holiday but there’s no historical evidence of that and if it were true, they’d be up past Ground Hog day which they’re not.
Decorations like these spell “Christmas” and if you don’t believe me, watch Turner Classic Movies where Christmas music plays in the background of every old movie scene with Christmas trees and municipal decorations.
I don’t know about you, but I’m still celebrating the tenacious varieties of tree that are hanging onto summer. There’s a small tree in my neighborhood that is still entirely green. Others have leaves of sunny yellow that winds should have carried away weeks ago but haven’t. There will be time to fill the living room with the scent of a fresh-cut Christmas tree, but I don’t want to be pushed.
Retailers learned long ago that Christmas decorations in the stores prompt people to spend. Two full years into this punishing economic recession, if ever there were an argument stores need early Christmas decorations, it is now, but families are pummeled too. 7.2 million jobs have disappeared since December 2007 and the losses are expected to continue until the middle of 2010. I’m not sure the earliest Christmas decorations on record can fix what’s happening with Americans and their bank accounts right now, nor do unemployed or underemployed people need to be reminded they can’t afford the kind of Christmas they used to have.
We’re conditioned to seeing Christmas decorations in the shopping malls way too early and we can avoid stepping into them if we find it offensive. Municipal displays are not so easy to escape. We get them on our ordinary travel on ordinary routes.
Snowflakes add light to the south side business district on South Salina Street
Props to the city of Syracuse for lighting the holiday tree in Clinton Square the day after Thanksgiving every year. Not the day after Halloween, but the day after Thanksgiving when we’ve had our fill of turkey and Griswold family dysfunction we planned and anticipated all month. Some things are the way they are because they should be that way.
What do you think? Are you ready for Santas and snowflakes and reindeer this soon? Before the first snow has fallen? The last leaves are raked? The turkey is stuffed? Share your thoughts.
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
I agree with you. We are being manipulated! Why can’t they wait untill after Thanksgiving! Christmas music started on a radio station Nov 1st! to get us in the mood shop! I Love Christmas celebrating the Lords birth . oh I could go on an on! I miss you on the news! I found your web site on google, I was wondering what ever happen to Maureen on ch 5 news? You were on for a long time, gosh I remember my dad who passed away in 1990 really enjoyed you on the news!
Hi Judi, Thank you for reading my blog and posting a comment. It’s good to hear from folks who remember me from my news days. I’m touched by your words about your dad. I lost mine in ’98 and it’s never the same, is it? Thanks again.
Maureen
I just returned from a quick trip to WalMart to pick up a few items and started to get nervous when I noticed all the Christmas candy, baking items, etc out on the shelves. I am far from ready for Christmas in the gift buying area.
Have you tuned into Y94FM lately – they are already playing Christmas music. It’s way too early for that and my rule is after Thanksgiving the decorations can come out for Christmas!
Denise
Yup Denise. Same goes for me. The day after Thanksgiving I go whole hog, which is easy because I’m totally stuffed from the Thanksgiving meal.
Good Mornin Maureen, The Swamp War Dept. quit listening to 94 fm because she said after Thanksgiving is soon enough for Christmas music . That will show them and their advetisers as 94 fm was on most of the day here. I think our Christmas fond money comes in the first of Nov. both of us like to look at it awhile so after Thanksgiving it will all disappear fast enough for The Swamp crew.
Maureen-
Now that you got me thinking….it turns out Christmas is a paradox for me. I love Christmas…can’t get enough of it. Annual viewings of “Christmas Vacation,” “Miracle on 34th St.” (the original), and “It’s a Wonderful Life,” a “real” tree I want to last forever, decorations everywhere, outside lights galore, cookies, season music, food, glorious food, fireplace non-stop, yada yada yada. I really want it to last the whole winter long.
So was I surprised, once I pondered your question, to admit that this is a tad early to dive into Christmas head first. Just seems like overkill…this from someone who lives by the words “needs a little Christmas, right this very moment.”
But, it won’t be long now…..it will begin the second the Thanksgiving leftovers are in the frig. Must enjoy Thanksgiving first!
Don
Denny, sounds like a good plan.
Don I couldn’t have phrased it better. I’m with you!
I agree that the music on Y94 and Sunny 102 is a bit too early, but have to admit that I listen every once in a while hoping to catch an old favorite. My office overlooks Clinton Square. Despite the temperature, Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year on Clinton Square. It is too cold to use the fountain as a swim area, and the decorations, particularly at dusk, are beautiful. This morning, the tree is being shaped, then the lights will go on. At home, the artificial trees goes up on Thanksgiving weekend and stay up until Martin Luther King weekend. It’s the only time all my old Shiny Brites and somewhat newer Hallmark ornaments can be enjoyed. I love putting ornanments on the tree – so many have a special story. I am ready for Christmas to come and don’t really mind that it is early.
Pat you have such a sunny attitude. I love shiny brites too. We’ll share more….
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now, your writing is superb. Today I was trawling through some of the archived posts that I missed and I came upon this post.
I would like to thank you for your strong statement of support for the Southside. For too long, the stereotypical view of this community has held sway–to the point where people refuse to even drive through the area.
For the past sixteen years I have worked for a community organization located on the Southside and the only mishap I’ve incurred is a flat tire. I walk all over the neighborhood and attend evening meetings, never once feeling threatened.
Yes, our community has its problems, but the many wonderful people that make up the Southside have certainly proved capable of rising to the challeges we face.
Thank you again for your support and this wonderful weblog. As many people have pointed out, this site has eased the sting of losing you from our airwaves.
Hello Phil,
Thank you for leaving such a kind and wonderful comment. I’m happy my writing has touched you in some way. Yes, I am militant about the southside. Like you, I travel through the neighborhood and see people who seem to want what I want. And they’d better keep that post office at Salina and Colvin open or I’m sunk! Perhaps we’ll run into each other some time. Thankfully, Syracuse remains very small in that regard. Wishes, Maureen