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On the 50th day of Christmas my true love gave...

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Contributed by: Connie Massa on 11/22/2007

It starts the week before Thanksgiving.

The smell of turkey hasn't even permeated the house and the cornucopias aren't filled, but it's crept in like a blanket of fog. It's Christmas.

The first indicator is the changing of the guard at the grocery. The seasonal aisle has become a conglomerate of turkey basters, pumpkin centerpieces, Christmas wrapping paper and holiday cards.

The retailers subtly sneak these new items in so you don't notice right away. It's like those subliminal ads for popcorn and hotdogs they used to slip into the drive-in movie.

What I notice next is much more obvious.

Where pumpkins and haystacks once held court in front yards, now there are inflatable snowmen and bobbing reindeer. Houses are bejeweled with blinking lights, silver bells and illuminated snowflakes.

I know the excuse well. "We put up the Christmas decorations because the weather was so nice this weekend."

Well, what's the fun in that? No frozen light strands? No swaying atop a ladder in the cold wind cursing the fact that the gutter clips keep snapping in half? No wondering why all the plugs are on the wrong end of the strand after you've hung them up?

"We're not going to turn them on until it gets closer to Christmas," they say.

It's impossible. Once they're up, you have to plug them in. Before you know it, every house on the block is glowing.

Then there's those ambitious few that have already displayed their Christmas tree in the front window. What's that about? They haven't even carved the Thanksgiving turkey and tossed the carcass yet.

I'm betting these folks have bought and wrapped every gift and even have their Christmas cards ready to hit the mail on December 1st. I wish I could be that organized!

I guess here's my only question. Who decided that Christmas was fifty days long?

I know it wasn't the guy that wrote the song about his true love bringing him gifts. Can you imagine how many things she would have to give him?

The numbers are staggering! Not to mention the fact that none of us would remember the words to the song!

Regardless of who made the decision to make Christmas longer, I fear that I will always be behind the eight ball. Having a limited attention span, I can't devote that much time to almost anything.

On the lighter side, I have garnered a lesson from all this pre-Christmas frenzy.

According to my 2008 calendar, I have exactly 85 days to get my act together for Valentine's day. That gives me 35 days to plan, decorate, shop and bake for those I hold closest to my heart. It's a relief to know I won't be rushed.

In the meantime, I think I'll enjoy my turkey dinner and plug in "It's a Wonderful Life". That's as big of a jump as I can hope to get on Christmas this year.

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Submitted By: Charmaine Robledo

posted on 11/23/2007 @ 1:10:58 PM

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Commercially, I agree with you that most celebrate Christmas for 50 days. Emotionally, I'll take the high road and say the spirit of the season should be celebrated all year round. Heh. :-)

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CONTRIBUTOR INFORMATION

Connie Massa

Castle Rock , CO

Connie Massa has posted 28 stories and 3 comments since joining on 10/2/2007. Connie Massa 's average story rating is 4.96.

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