Christmas Run Amok

Posted by: on Nov 22, 2011 | 3 Comments

As a Jew, I need to start this by saying I’m not anti-Christmas. Many people will read this and think I’m just being anti-religious or howling at the moon. I like Christmas and have even tried to start my own cult – Jews For Christmas. I like the festiveness of the season, the spirituality and the joyfulness of the day. The great Jewish tradition of movies and Chinese food on Christmas Day. Actually, Christmas Day used to be my favorite day to ski. The slopes were usually empty and I always thought they should put blue dye in the snow guns and paint a big star of David on the slopes.

What I want to know is when did “tis the season” start the day after Halloween? Why are radio stations already playing holiday music 24 hours a day? Why have my neighbors already put out their Christmas decorations?  What the hell happened to the Christmas Holiday Season starting the day after Thanksgiving? And why is a Jew the one to point all this out when Christmas is supposed to be about religion, spirituality, family and lot of other things that have nothing to do with overblown commercialism that is now the focus of this very important day?

Speaking of overblown commercialism, let’s talk about Black Friday, which is now Black Thursday as some retailers are opening their stores at 10 PM on Thanksgiving day. Is making your employees show up for work on Thursday at 10 PM or midnight or even 4 or 5 AM on the Friday after Thanksgiving really part of the Christmas spirit? What happened to putting your family first at this joyous time of year? When did the almighty dollar take over Christmas from The Almighty? Why do I feel like this blog post is one big question?  Maybe I have so many questions is because I am Jewish and I’m trying to understand why this has happened.

Moving on, one of the major annoyances at this time of year is the multitude of really bad and obnoxious TV commercials.  Let me rephrase that. There are always really bad and obnoxious commercials on TV. What is really annoying about Christmas commercials as they have been running since Labor Day.

As as an example of what I’m talking about there, take a look at the ebay 12 Days of Christmas spot now running:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWzp7Hpxi58
I just want to bitch slap that little brat.  I could list many others but you get the point.

Then there’s the car commercials. Oh yes, giving a $50,000+ luxury car is exactly in the Christmas spirit. I love the shock and awe when the person sees that big red bow wrapped around that shiny new (or certified used) car. Anyone out there ever wake-up on Christmas morning and have one of those babies parked in their driveway? Seen one parked on a neighbors driveway? Ever here of anyone getting a car for Christmas? Every seen a car given as a present with a big red bow on it at any time of the year? Just plain stupid.

Well, I gotta wrap (get it…wrap…oh forget it) this up. I could on forever but by that time, Christmas would have passed.  But don’t worry, Memorial Day Weekend is only 6 months away and the way things are going, it will be just in time to break out the Christmas decorations once again.

3 Comments

  1. Tracy
    November 22, 2011

    Ira I love this post only you didn’t mention all the folks who go on facebook and tell us that we need to say Merry Christmas and not Happy Holiday…maybe if they said Happy Hannukah to me I might feel more inclined – maybe we need to go back to wearing our religion on our sleeve so that I know how to greet someone at this time of year! My favorite scary ad this year is the lady training for target shopping in the ugly red tracksuit! Really

  2. jennifer kronstain
    November 23, 2011

    I’ve already had enough of it … as if we aren’t in a recession, people aren’t out of work, etc.

    It’s painful and it gets worse every year.

    The only good thing is Ralphie’s coming soon ….

  3. eric
    November 23, 2011

    You seem to forget the biggest question of the year. Did you start your Christmas shopping? It seems that anyone not jewish assumes everyone in the world is. It is great to live in your own little world