by Trisha Orlando

Created on: September 19, 2008

Have you noticed that the appearance of Christmas gets earlier every year? The half price Halloween sale candy is barely off the shelves when the latest in Christmas Decor starts pushing it's way on to the store shelves.

What happened to Thanksgiving? Oh, there it is at the end of aisle 4, Ma'am, right past the LED animated Santa on a Harley. Wow. 4 tablecloths and a plastic pilgrim.

When I was a kid (oh how my children love stories that start out with this!) the Christmas decorations came out of the attic the week end after Thanksgiving. Even then my Dad complained that it was too early. I guess he liked waiting until their was an inch of ice on the roof to climb up there and string the lights.

Dad loved a good challenge.

Christmas baking started no sooner than December 15th. Now-a-days (another word my children cringe at) you can buy Christmas bakery goods the day after Thanksgiving. I'll bet they are real yummy on December 24th. I don't think Santa is really on a diet, I think he just leaves that handwritten note as a way of getting out of consuming stale goods. Rudolph and Company must be on the same diet, they didn't eat the month old white chocolate covered pretzels we left for them last year.

Well at least that explains the added pounds around the holiday season for me. The instant those sugar cookies are in the bakery, I am loading my shopping cart.

So how does one know when the real Christmas is just around the corner? Attitudes. you can tell by your friends and acquaintances attitudes. Suddenly they are a little kinder, a little gentler, a little more caring. A little more hoping you don't expect a Christmas card this year, have you seen the price of postage?

Seriously, people have what I call their "holiday personality". They are just a wee bit more patient and people who normally don't acknowledge you are suddenly smiling a little smile and saying, "Merry Christmas!"

Now if we could just bottle this attitude and spread it throughout the year, that would be great.

But then...how would we know when Christmas is coming?

Another sign of Christmas is all the little kids, who are normally brats, start acting nicer. Actually cleaning their rooms when told to, putting away their shoes and boots, and being nicer to their siblings. Saying please and thank you and Mother, may I? When children suspect Santa is watching them 24/7, things straighten out. It's nice, even if it is just for a short time and their are gifts involved.

Now if that is not a sign of the Christmas Season, what is?

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