Santa, bring these back!

Am I buggin' when I say that every department store had its holiday decorations up the day after Halloween?
That Holiday commercials feel weird?
That every year Christmas gets pushed up and Thanksgiving gets downplayed by these scheming marketers?
It's feels too early for Christmas, let us enjoy Autumn dammit.

sheesh.

I was just watching The Addams Family movie (classic!) which begins with the family pouring a hot batch of God-knows-what onto a bunch of lovely Christmas carolers and I got to thinking about a couple of things the holidays are lacking.

So, Chris Cringle... if you're listening, here I go:

1) Christ Carolers, obviously.

Everyone is so hostile these days, and with emailing (TEXTING!) and whatever other technology people use, face to face contact is easily avoidable. I've never seen a bunch of Christmas carolers at my doorstep- Is that because I lived in the South Bronx for 10 years? lol probably... But now I live in Jersey and want to know what's up.
Carolers still exist in some places (Thank you, Google) but how lovely it would be if a bunch of carolers came to my house (at a decent time, thank you) solely to spread holiday joy.

2)Mistletoe

Where can I get some? I've never even seen one of these in person.
According to Wikipedia (*sigh*), the custom of kissing under the mistletoe is of Scandinavian descent.
How cute... I'm so gonna get some this holiday season.
Catch people off guard...
Any excuse to kiss a loved one, no?

3)Santa Claus

You laugh... but I'm serious.
When I was younger, on Christmas Eve... RIGHT before it struck midnight, all the kiddies were rushed into the bedroom, someone would ring a bell, my grandfather would "HO! HO! HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS!", I would almost pass out from the thought of Santa being a room away from me, and when we returned to the living room- there were all the gifts. I don't know what happened. It's not like there aren't any more babies in my family! But the gifts are just laid out from the start of the night, and that's that. I think children think it's corny to believe in Santa... When did this happen? =/

4) Homemade Christmas Gifts

Gift cards, money, game systems.
Those are cool, I'd gladly accept any of the 3... but where's the spirit?
Where are the "I took the time to MAKE this for you, I BOUGHT SUPPLIES and put this together" gifts?
We all know times are hard, why not use this as an excuse to make someone something?
Write someone a letter?
Bake someone yummy cupcakes?
Put together a scrapbook?
I know... I'm sounding like a cornball over here- but I'm dead serious.
This Christmas, yeah I'll buy gifts IF I CAN AFFORD IT, but I'm more concerned with buying paints and canvasses to make paintings for those I love.
Check here and here if I've inspired you to save up on money for a crafty holiday.
(I didn't thoroughly check the sites, but I'm sure they work if not for major gifts, then for stocking stuffers.)

5) GAP Holiday Ads



(OK Mary, yes!)

For the love of God, GAP.
For the love of God, GAP.
All I have to say is bless Youtube for still having these accessible.

...And that's all I've got for you.
Bring Christmas in every sense of its *true meaning back.

=)

-franso