 I used to think that the holiday season started on Thanksgiving and
ended on New Year's Day. The retail stores would have us think that
it starts on Labor Day, when the first Christmas trees are
displayed, until after Valentine's Day.However, you can ignore
that blatant display of retail hubris and consider that the holiday
season actually starts from the day your kids pick out the perfect
pumpkin until the day all the Christmas tinsel has been removed from
your beater brushes.
During this time there is a dizzying variety of unrelated items
being bought and sold. From plastic pumpkin carryalls to china
decorated with plump turkeys (as if to say, "This is how it would
look if it didn't get slaughtered, gutted, de-feathered and roasted
for your dining pleasure.").
If you enter a small store, they might offer vampire teeth, a set
of leaf-shaped salt and pepper shakers, a snow globe, a turkey
baster, a screaming witch doormat, and a tree skirt -- all on the
same shelf.
I would feel sorry for the retail community's challenging lack of
space except that... I don't. They should reserve October for
Halloween, November for Thanksgiving, and December for Christmas,
Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and... who did I miss? Then they wouldn't have
this seasonal traffic jam on their shelves. Obviously, the person
responsible for this annual chaos is not a mom.
I have two boxes full of Halloween costumes, and my younger kids
are starting to "age out" of costumes anyway. So I really didn't
need to buy costumes this year. What I needed was a bag of Halloween
candy and some glow sticks. Glow sticks have become a Halloween
staple for my kids, like having sparklers on the Fourth of July.
[to top of second column]
 |
 This year, I made the mistake of going into the store by way of
the garden department. The forest of Christmas trees in full holiday
regalia was daunting, but I plunged in, determined to find the candy
and glow sticks. I passed a display of beautifully decorated
stockings. I paused to watch a tiny skier swoosh down a plastic snow
mountain. I admired the hand-painted ornaments. Should I get one for
our tree?
What tree? What am I thinking! I have a witch on my door and
graveyards have sprung up in people's front yards! It's Halloween!
Pushing past Christmas and Hanukkah, I came to matching towels,
napkin holders and tablecloths in various autumn colors. There were
turkey platters, recipe books and Pilgrim centerpieces. Plastic
fruit for your cornucopia was scattered throughout the pie plates
and mashed potato bowls. I really liked the set of wooden serving
spoons, but... no!
Goblins, spiders, Superman and dead people, remember? Ghosts and
Iron Man, vampires and Tinker Bell.
OK, OK. Forget the glow sticks; I needed to get to the candy
department before I bought a sprig of mistletoe for my kids to sport
during their trick-or-treating foray.
The candy shelf was not much better. I found the candy corn next
to the red and green M&Ms. The bag of Three Musketeers that I had
thought to buy was nowhere to be found.
I wonder how our Halloween visitors would feel about candy canes?
[By LAURA SNYDER]
Laura Snyder is a nationally syndicated columnist,
author and speaker. You can reach her at
lsnyder@lauraonlife.com
or visit www.lauraonlife.com
for more info. |
