Red Deer Reality Rant #29 - The Christmas Blues

Hello and welcome back for another Red Deer Reality Rant. I hope everyone is enjoying their October so far. It is unseasonably warm but I don’t mind because the leaves are still changing colour and it feels like Fall. Some people, my kind of people, are gearing up for Halloween. I am working on a costume but am not sure where I am going with it yet, but generally there are a few things to do in Red Deer on All Hallows’ Eve.

Despite it being spooky season I can’t get over the fact that many people are thinking about, and caring about Christmas, that is what I will rant about today. I’m not one of those types who are all “Bah, Humbug” or even slightly dislikes Christmas, nor am I the kind who goes crazy for that holiday season. I do like winter, and the beauty of it and I appreciate the idea of goodwill and giving that is apparent in Red Deer in December.

But cripes, it’s only the middle of October, one holiday at a time please! While shopping at many stores recently in Red Deer I have been bombarded with Christmas decorations already.

I used to work in a big box store and they started getting Christmas stock in August and sometimes July. I don’t really understand the need to put it out though, before Halloween and Remembrance Day.

Some people were offended when the store was playing Christmas music before Remembrance Day. I’m not offended by it, but really, why rush the season? And why not take some time to appreciate veterans with solemnity and reverence before bombarding everyone with the tacky and garish decorations and music? These decorations and music are not even what Christmas is about anyway and just increases the worry and stress associated with shopping, too early.

I’m just trying to focus on enjoying Autumn and pumpkins and spooky stuff, I don’t need to worry about Christmas until December. It seems like they are mixing the two seasons together and commercializing the heck out of them in the process. Halloween is 100% a commercialized holiday. With candy and costumes, decorations and parties, it’s not even just for kids.

One such thing, on that note, is coming up this week, Youth HQ and Zed 99 radio station are going to be opening their Zed Haunted House. It supports a great cause and is very entertaining, I have had a great time in past years and want to go again this year. Here’s a link to their page if you want to check it out: https://youthhq.ca/events/item/2016/zed-haunted-house/

Well, fellow Red Deerians, I do believe that I have said my piece and stated my points. I will be back next week for more ranting. You never know though, sometimes I rave about stuff too. Until then, try to enjoy all of the spookiness and hocus pocus, stay brutal!

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