On Saturday afternoon, I stepped into a store in Winter Park (Orlando) called Entwined. The place was full of decorated Christmas trees, wreathes, garland, and anything else you can imagine. I had just finished watching the Gators beat Vanderbilt in a sports bar next door and was obviously taken aback by entering into the North Pole … on October 1st.
By luck, the owner was near the front door and upon greeting me, saw my awe. She immediately apologized: “I’m so sorry – I know it’s early, but we have to keep up with the big stores and make it look ‘Christmassy’”. To her surprise, I responded with: “This is awesome! What’s that smell? Is that some type of hazelnut cinnamon?” The owner, who is probably 25 years older than me and at least two feet shorter, grabbed my arm like I was her long lost son and began showing me the place.
So many people are unhappy about holiday decorations being rampant already. Whether it’s a friend or family member complaining directly to me, or comment on social media, I’ve heard: “Really, already?” at least a dozen times. Here’s what I say:
Bring it on! I’ve waited nine months for this season, and here it is… let’s not hold back at all. I want the Halloween tackiness, the fake fall smells (we don’t have fall down here, so we fake it with scented everything), the pumpkin this and pumpkin that, the Christmas specials and movies, and yes … the holiday decorations all over the place.
I hope you’re as excited as me. If not, try to embrace it because it’s not going away. BTW, I gotta go – my daughter wants to watch The Nightmare before Christmas again. We watched it twice this morning already.
