Skip to main content

Creep

So I was in Lowe's the other day to buy some plumbing supplies. They had already trotted out their fake Christmas trees. Other than the fact that it is somewhat jarring to see Christmas trees mingled with Halloween yard displays, the more disturbing aspect was that it was SEPTEMBER.

Then I read this:

http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160929-this-is-why-christmas-creep-makes-us-cringe

One of the lines I love most in this article is the following:

Part of Nicotera’s anger, for instance, is that nostalgia for an earlier time. “The day after Thanksgiving, the whole world opened up and there was Christmas,” she recalls. “People today are missing that thrill — they are missing the awe and surprise.”

And this is all too true. One of the greatest things I remember about Christmastime is the unfolding of events, the heightened anticipation of seeing the tree go up, of the gradual increases in decorations both around town as well as in my home, and of the Advent calendar marking the days off until the BIG DAY. Now, not so much.

Maybe I was just ignorant of the world around me, and the advertisements really did go on just the same way as they do now. But it FEELS wrong, and while that's not something quantifiable, it's still just as real to me as the way I feel on a cold December evening with the fire going and the soft glow of the Christmas tree filling the room with gentle, warm light. So, slow down and enjoy it, everyone.

And for goodness' sake, the skeletons and the inflatable yard witches do NOT go with candy canes and Christmas trees...

Image result for nightmare before christmas

Oh... Wait...

:)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Other Art

I'm not sure we appreciate photography as much as we do other art forms. Part of this comes from the reality that surrounds and permeates a photograph - it's very, very real, and the photographer strives for clarity and crispness in the representations. Perhaps this is why black and white images continue to be relevant - they strip away extraneous information (color) and leave us with something that is at once familiar and also non-existent - for nothing exists in black and white. Nothing. I also think that pictures are becoming too common-place... Everyone has a camera in their pocket, and while that's a very democratic thing (everyone can express themselves in a picture easily and readily, and can find an audience for these images, which are casually taken and casually viewed, and perhaps just as casually forgotten) I think that we embrace that casual attitude, and it spills over to all aspects of the media, making it impotent. So I read this article this morning: h...

Lucky!

So Tomorrow is Amie's birthday. The 12 th is Andy's. The 14 th is Alex's. And the 26 th is mom's. Happy birthday everyone. I recently found that a member of our ward has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer has a survivability rate of less than 5% and you never, ever kick it, even if you live. Once diagnosed, people are expected to live about six months. My wife and I were talking about this wonderful woman. There are very few (too few) people in this world who shine. Literally. This sister shines with a light that is perceptible and discernible . The world will literally be a darker place without her in it. Life is short, folks. Too short for hard feelings, too short for pain and misunderstanding. I love you all so much. Sorry this one is such a downer... I don't mean to be lugubrious on your birthdays... I consider myself lucky to be your brother. You have and continue to bless me and my family in many ways, for which I will be eternally gra...

Excommunication

My heart is heavy this morning. I read that Kate Kelly and others are being brought up on Church disciplinary action. For those who are unfamiliar with the process/proceedings of LDS Church discipline, it can be a bit mystifying. There are several levels of censure that the Church may impose. These range from a simple removal of some privileges for a short period of time to the most severe action - excommunication. When one is excommunicated, the person's membership in the Church is terminated. It is a very extreme measure, and for the faithful it can be a very difficult thing to consider. What people don't understand - what is nearly impossible for someone outside the proceedings to understand - is the amount of love felt. It's discipline. It's intended to be harsh (at times). And it's intended to be unpleasant. But it is done with love and care for the person. Since excommunication is such an extreme measure, it is really only very rarely applied. There are ...