How early is too early?

I had to run an errand to Wal-Mart (*shudder*) this past Saturday, and just as I anticipated, all of their Christmas "stuff" was out. Luckily, I couldn't find what I was looking for and was able to zip in and out. Hearing a carol blaring on the loudspeakers, I must have had a look of disgust on my face, because a woman I was passing looked and me and said "CAn you believe this?! This is just ridiculous!!"

I couldn't agree more.

I have to pause to say that yes, I have had my moments of sitting on the couch, gazing at the living room, picturing it decorated with garlands and pretty ornaments and a nice tree in the bay window. Picturing is the key word.

I have nothing against people who do their Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving. My sister in law is great at finding deals, and if she sees something she knows she could get for someone for Christmas, she'll get it. Even if it's August. She probably saves a lot of money (and the hassle of braving the stores around the holidays) this way. She's usually done when she picks up a few final things on Black Friday. I hope she's done by then because she'll be 2 weeks shy of giving birth to my niece!

Sean has said several times in the past week that Christmas stays packed away until Thanksgiving is over. I agree to an extent. I will start listening to Christmas music maybe that week. I logged in to one of my favorite Boston morning radio shows today, and they had the Christmas tunes coming full swing. I abruptly turned it off. We will probably get our tree the weekend or so after Thanksgiving (or whenever we have time to go together). I am excited to decorate this place. It's the first year I can really go "all out", albeit on a tighter budget, I'll have to get resourceful.

So I pose the question to you - how early is too early? I love the spirit of the holiday, but the consumerism is really killing it for me. I don't want to be sick of Christmas before Thanksgiving even gets here.

With that in mind, I do live in The Christmas Tree House. Our neighbor upstairs is 92, and God bless her, loves all things Christmas. There is a plaque on the outside of the house that says "The Christmas Tree House", there's a wreath on her door, and she has little Christmas trees in window-boxes around the front porch - year round. From the moment you step in the front door and go up the stairs to her house, there are Christmas decorations from floor to ceiling, wall to wall, on every inch of space that will allow something to be hung, placed, draped or displayed. It's really quite incredible to take in. And at 92, if this is what she loves, I'm not gonna knock it.

I do not intend to be a Grinch this year. I want to enjoy my first Christmas living with Sean, enjoy the season, my friends, the parties, and hopefully snow! But on days like today when it's a balmy 65 and rainy and leaves are covering the ground, "Here Comes Santa Clause" is really the last thing on earth I want to be listening to when I'm doing my grocery shopping.