Christmas in the Air

How many of you have been listening to Christmas music while browsing the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations in your local stores? Probably everyone!! When I was a kid, the Christmas season started the day after Thanksgiving. A month long season was enough for most people. Thanks to stores who have bathing suits in January and winter coats in July, we have to have the Christmas buying season start as early in the fall as the merchants can get away with. And it seems that they are getting away with starting earlier and earlier. This is the first year I can recall actually hearing Christmas music prior to Halloween. Oh, of course, they've started to set up artificial trees and fill the toy aisles, but they haven't put on the accompanying music this early. At least not in any stores that I frequent. Well, next year, get ready to hum along to "Hark the Herold Angels Sing" long about Labor Day.