Friday, October 10, 2008

Thanksgiving Comes First




As promised, here are the links to your brothers and sisters who have joined the fight. They're trying to help keep Christmas advertising, schlock merchandise, and way-too-early music from overrunning the previously scheduled celebration of Thanksgiving (as well as Veterans Day, Halloween, and maybe your birthday, if it falls in October or November.)

Before I give out the links, though, please consider the following, one of the comments from this year's original post:

"I was in CVS last Friday night, looking for some of those mallowcreme pumpkin candies that they have out at Halloween time. I went up and down the seasonal aisles several times because I just couldn't find them. However, I was able to find several displays of Christmas wrapping paper, bows, and assorted Christmas decorations. I was more than a little upset, to put it mildly."

This is the sort of comment consistently left by folks who have read my blog (and yours, if you've done one.) Obviously, we've struck a chord. And God bless the good folks who have left their comments. The thing is, though, that just being mad accomplishes nothing. What has to happen, for anything positive to come from this, is for you and I to say something to the folks at the store, or the mall, or the radio station, or whatever other place/thing offended us.

If you're not the type to ask for the manager (so that you can tell him/her that you're leaving the damn store and won't return unless the Christmas paper goes back into the stockroom until after Thanksgiving) then write a letter to the corporate headquarters. Do something, in any case. Even if it seems to have no immediate effect, it might later when they've received a whole bunch of letters or calls.

End of sermon.

Here's proof that we're doing the right thing - Universal Hub. And here's the original posting from that great site.

And here are your individual posts. God bless you all!

First post of the year came from Teresa at Technicalities

Then, the lovely Sarah from Que Sarah Sarah

Followed by...

Nana Net, from Check-N-Out Life

Prudence, from Prudence Ponder, who says she has sold out. Boo! Shame on you, Prudence!

Aside from posting the "Thanksgiving Comes First" logo, there are lots of great Wonder Woman shots over at House Of Eratosthenes. Thanks, Morgan!

My good buddy, Buck, from Exile In Portales.

Kris, at Reflections By Kris.

Thimbelle has written one of my all-time favorite TCF posts at Creeping Towards Normal.

Philmon, at The Clue Batting Cage.

Michelle (my darker gray friend, as I am her lighter gray friend) at The Surly Writer.

Heidi, at Heidi's Moments. And, again at Heidi's Photos.

Dusty Lens (who was pissed about this even before me last year - poor guy!) has promised another piece. When it is published, I'll insert the link here.

Janet, at Adventures In The 32-Aker Wood (who really seems to enjoy using parentheticals almost as much as I do.)

Laurie, at Soldiers' Angels New York (which appears to be a very nice blog in and of itself, as these people try to make soldiers lives a bit more comfy.)

Blogger's Delight picked up my Cousin David's piece from last year.

Apparently, we are creating a buzz. That's all I can infer from the fact that BuzzTracker is tracking us! Woo-Hoo!

In the same vein, BlogNetNews has picked up on it.

Please visit them and share the love.

You'll notice that there are links to 18 sites here. I get approximately 200 visitors a day (I still have trouble digesting the fact that 200 of you have nothing better to do, but I digress.) Anyway, what this means is that 9% of my wonderful readers decided to pass the word along. I hope at least as many of your wonderful readers do the same.

Not bad. It could be better.

If you haven't done a "Thanksgiving Comes First" post of your own, now is as good a time as any. If nothing else, it will make you feel wonderfully self-righteous. Then, when other people are complaining about Santa being at the local mall come Halloween, you can say, "Hey! I tried! What about you, Mister Bitch-But-Do-Nothing-About-It?" And then give him a dope slap.

(That last part is optional, of course.)

Thank you, all. I'll do another compilation of postings in a couple of weeks. For now, MY WIFE and I are off to enjoy our staycation (and thank you, again, for all of the wonderful suggestions concerning that.) I'll be back on Monday the 20th.

Until then, keep the faith and God bless.

Soon, with more better stuff.


19 comments:

Michelle H. said...

I did have an amazing comment from a blogger. She said they had Santa standing next to the Grim Reaper (I believe she is referring to cut-out posters) in a Walmart.

Have fun on your staycation!

Janet said...

I'll write letters to Walmart and Kmart, since that's all we have here. And Kmart isn't doing a lot to try to maintain their existence, aside from putting out Christmas stuff in September.
Hope you and YOUR WIFE have a grand staycation. We look forward to hearing all about it.

Cath said...

Good on ya Jim and all your buddies doing posts. I am still googling...!

200 a day huh? You must be good at this blogging or sumthin'.

Angie Ledbetter said...

Hope your staycation is everything and more y'all are hoping for.

Kudos on the Keeping Holiday Commercialism to a Minimum campaign!

Mona said...

I believe that every day is thanksgiving day. I live with an attitude of gratitude!

Ok, I get it! your wife is the upper case in the house :D

Aren't we all? :D

Shammickite said...

I have not seen any Christmas merchandise or advertising here in Canada yet. Of course, there are lots of pumpkins and and decorations and bulk packs of chocolate bars all ready for Halloween. And this weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving weekend when we all gorge ourselves on turkey dinners and pumpkin pies and enjoy an extra day off work. Plus on Tuesday 14th all Canadians are heading to the polls to vote in a General Election.... I bet you had no idea we are having an election, what with all the hype and attention to the McCain/Obams spectacle that's under way on your side of the border. (BTW I shall be in the USA on USA voting day, in fact it will be my birthday!) We're busy people up here in Canada, we don't have time for Christmas yet!
Soon.

Unknown said...

Good to see so many are joining in the fight for pumpkins & turkey before candy canes!

Have a great time during your fun filled week! Can't wait to hear all about the fantastic stuff you and YOUR WIFE do while staycationing.

Rob said...

I just posted my Christmas Comes First this morning a day later than I had planned. Sorry.

http://northmetro.blogspot.com/2008/10/remember-thanksgiving-comes-first.html

tshsmom said...

I hate the way Thanksgiving is sloughed over in favor of Halloween. What's more important, a pagan, greed-driven day, or a day of thankfulness?

Personally, I tend to extend Christmas as long as I possibly can, but not in the commercial sense.

I did the music meme, if you're interested. ;)

Anonymous said...

Considering that this is going to be one of ther worst Christmas seasons on record, I expect we'll see far MORE crass commercialism than ever, not less.

Anonymous said...

Great words on this to consider. I have felt frustrated, manipulated, and never done more than mention it to friends. I am going to do more!

Also, thanks for the blog suggestions, I will have to visit.

Finally, found my way over from Hilary's.

Lisa Johnson said...

I just did a post!

Velvet Ginger said...

Great Point!!! I live this. I work in retail (the front part of our print shop is office supplies), we do NOT put up any Christmas decorations or stationary etc, earlier than the day after Thanksgiving. I put a few ahlloween decorations up just so folks will know it's fall (it's still green and warm here in sunny AZ)! Remember, all the early Christmas frolic is for the love of money and has nothing to do with the real meaning!

shelbi said...

oh man. this is the best post ever. i am off to do my own. and i am in agreement with mona up there, everyday is a day of thanksgiving...but the pumpkins, hot cider and stuffing ourselves silly is a wonderful measure of just how special this day truly is.

have a great staycation :) love it!

San said...

Would you believe they're already putting out the marshmallow peeps and chocolate bunnies in the Walmart here?

No, I don't guess I would either. But give'em some time. Parents will be stuffing peeps and Cadbury eggs in the stockings come Christmas Eve.

Rob said...

October 15th.

Hooboy, the retail stores are gearing up. We are seeing more light displays, Christmas trees, and those house sized Santa yard ballooons on specials in our malls. And Halloween is 16 days away, Thanksgiving is 43 days away, and Christmas is a whopping 68 days from now!

http://northmetro.blogspot.com/2008/10/remember-thanksgiving-comes-first.html

FHB said...

there's already a few houses with their Christmas lights up around here. Can't friggin' believe it.

Anonymous said...

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Please let me know if you might be interested. If we can come to a fair price, I will pre-pay for 1 year.

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Suldog said...

I love all of you folks. I hope you know that. Just back from vacation not too long ago, so sorry if I haven't been around to your place. I'll try to catch up!