IT'S ONLY OCTOBER

NOT EVEN HALLOWEEN ... OCTOBER 13 2012 ...

When I was a kid many many years ago, you never even thought of Christmas until after Thanksgiving.  Halloween was special.  Thanksgiving was special.  It Was December 1st before you started thinking Christmas.

There was no advertising of 'early bird' specials.  After all, we only had radio and newspapers.  There was no 'black Friday', just a normal day after Thanksgiving with turkey leftovers and still some pumpkin pie. 

We - meaning us kids - looked forward to Halloween.  We got to go trick or treating.  Wearing our Halloween costumes - mostly home-made with money for a mask - and we were only allowed to go out Halloween night, and just in our neighborhood. 

There was no such thing as worrying about kid-nappers or pins in your candy.  It was a much nicer world, but all has changed.

Then there was Thanksgiving with turkey and all the trimmings.  These were both special days.   Now they are pretty much after-thoughts, just days to get through until 'BLACK FRIDAY'.

I know folks who never miss going shopping on Black Friday.  Me - I have never gone on that particular day.  I don't feel that I have missed anything. I get a good night's sleep.  I don't have to stand in line and fight crowds.  I can enjoy the day after Thanksgiving leftovers.

Christmas decorations weren't already up.  That usually happened about 2 weeks before Christmas and came down on New Years.  Folks back then - in the dark ages - didn't have the money for the elaborate decorations you see today.  All Christmas trees were live, no putting them up weeks in advance.  They usually went up just before Christmas, and by New Years the needles had pretty well fallen, even with the tree in a stand with water. 

The holidays were special.  We weren't drowned in advertisements and decorations for weeks at a time.  The holidays were exciting, something to look forward to.  Today they are mostly just days to get through.

Maybe I am old-fashioned.  Maybe I live in the past.  Or maybe I am being logical, whatever that is.  I enjoy each holiday as that particular holiday comes along, and worry about the next holiday when it is the proper time.

Who would ever have imagined the amount of Halloween decorations being sold and used today.   Some houses are completely covered.

And the haunted houses.  Never head of such a thing back in my day.  I am lucky I can still remember that far back.

Well, enough preaching for today.  Have a great day and God Bless.