Do you find it annoying that Christmas ads are already on TV and in print, and that Black Friday is already a discussion?

It doesn’t annoy me in the least. I love Christmas! The more suspense the better. Either way, I don’t have cable (waste of money) so I don’t have to see the ads.

Christmas is becoming more of an economic trend rather than a celebration, unfortunately. And kids these days just want material things. They just want to receive stuff and don’t really think about giving to others.

And yes, it’s very annoying that Christmas advertising starts so early!

So much. There was Christmas merchandise and decorations out before Halloween. I hate that. I refuse to play along.

@digitalimpression: I see ads in my mailbox and in stores, so it’s not just on TV. I love Christmas too, don’t get me wrong.

I was at Walmart 2 days before halloween and they were playing Christmas songs. It annoyed me.

Annoys the merde out of me. I don’t have cable or a newspaper, but I expect to see “Christmas” ads on Hulu anytime now, and I’ve already heard “Christmas music” in stores and restaurants.

They tell you it’s all about spending time with family, and it’s the most joyous time, because the family is the fundamental site of consumption and heterosexcapitalist programming, and they want you to buy all the things.

Nothing new, this has been going on for decades and decades. Complaining about it makes no difference. It is what it is, and what it is, is the way of retail marketing, luring in the teeming masses of consumers as far in advance as they can.

Yes. Thankfully, I rarely watch TV, and mostly listen to commercial-free radio. I dislike shopping, but I’ve heard that ‘Santa’ is already in some malls. The retail and advertising industries are so desperate to convince us that we need new things that they have taken any fun or magic out of it, and most people complain that they’re sick of Christmas weeks before it happens.

@hearkat Yep, same here. I don;t watch TV and I don’t do malls, at all. lol
I shop locally and online so I avoid 95% of the madness.

I want there to at least be snow on the ground (there isn’t here) before I start hearing Christmas music and seeing displays. Having worked in retail in my youth, I know that’s unrealistic, but I still hate it. Don’t get me wrong, I quite enjoy Christmas even though I’m an atheist. But there’s a reason “White Christmas” is a thing.

I’m probably going to go on an explosive rant the first time I hear someone say that Christmas shopping this year is patriotic, or some other “do your part to boost the economy” nonsense.

I fail to see what’s different about Christmas ads. We (collectively) are bombarded with ads every single day in hundreds of different ways. What’s so especially annoying about them advertising Christmas that’s different from them advertising a George Foreman grill?

Personally, I find the Christmas ads to be a refreshing change from the norm.

“They tell you it’s all about spending time with family, and it’s the most joyous time”
It is. No one is forcing families to make Christmas a materialistic thing… and it only makes sense for businesses to advertise for Christmas because they want money.

I dunno… I guess I’m just not as easily annoyed. If any ad were to be on the annoying list it wouldn’t be Christmas ads.. it would be ads for drugs that have more side-effects than desired effects.

Yes, incredibly irritating. Last night, that Hershey kisses Christmas bells commercial was on, and I was thinking, “Really? I mean… REALLY?????” Christmas is my favorite time of year, but the season starts way to early! Let us get past Halloween and Thanksgiving before bombarding us with Christmas stuff!

@WillWorkForChocolate But those ads are working for chocolate!!!

Sorry, couldn’t resist. :)

But I have plenty of Halloween chocolate to eat my way through first! :D

In 10 years we’ll start seeing Christmas ads in February. It’s ridiculous. What I find even more ridiculous is how Black Friday starts earlier and earlier every year. Wal-Mart starts at 8pm on Thanksgiving this year. I’m not a big holiday guy but the holidays are the one time I get to see my extended family, I think this takes away from that. Last year there were people leaving early so they could go sit in line at Wal-Mart. I feel like this year its going to be “Okkkk we had dinner, see ya later guys!” fucking consumerism country >_<

For some reason, this year, I’ve barely witnessed any early Christmas advertising yet. That may be because I don’t have cable, and that a big majority of it is on television…but it isn’t happening much at the mall, either. I think our town is too freakin poor so nobody bothers advertising here hahaha.

Otherwise though, all advertising annoys me, so I can’t really single out Christmas. But when it does start happening before Halloween it’s like yeah, Christmas, get in line dammit.

They tell you it’s all about spending time with family, and it’s the most joyous time, because the family is the fundamental site of consumption and heterosexcapitalist programming, and they want you to buy all the things.

Lol, heterosexcapitalist. Truth. And anyways loving people and being at peace should just be a year round thing. Same for Valentine’s Day. Fucking Hallmark.

As bad as pumpkin lattes in September and red cups on November 1. At least wait until November 15, please.

This is a trend that has been going on for years.

Look. Christmas is your time to goose the economy. It’s anti-American to complain about it. You should be proud to go out and spend, spend, spend, especially if you don’t have anything to spend. This is how we put people back to work, and this is how we give people a little warmth at Christmas.

Yet, here you are, scrooging it up! Don’t you care about your fellow human beings? Don’t you want to see them employed? Don’t you want to see everyone with presents under the tree? Don’t you want the stock market to go up? Don’t you want your 401K to grow nice and fat?

If so, then be happy that Christmas starts sooner and sooner. This is the best thing you can be doing to help your fellow humans, especially those who have been having a hard time. This is charity and love and hope.

Now people look at commercialization and they think things. They are cynical. They don’t see past the surface to understand that if we are to help people and improve our lives, then we must spend. Our spending helps others. Sure, it helps the kids, but it also helps others. People don’t see that. They don’t understand that spending and commercialization really are the spirit of Christmas. People will think I’m being cynical, but I think I am right. Spending is the TRUE spirit of Christmas.

Sure, the commercials are annoying. Sure the fake cheerfulness is annoying. But there’s a reason for that, too. We are all depressed. The days are quickly getting to the shortest of the year. Depression is rampant. We need the lights and cheerful sounds to help us. Don’t be annoyed. Be grateful. Try to join in. It will help you and all of us. It will make us feel better (some of us, anyway), and it will help the economy, and the economy, more than anything, is what needs help right now.

So don’t be a scrooge. Grin an bear it. It’s the most important thing you can do right now: spend as much as possible.

@wundayatta Just dying to hear my explosive rant, aren’t you?

@glacial Of course. I gave you mine. Everyone should provide their rant. This is a topic dying for rants!

Unfortunately, I’ve been giving this one for years now. I believe it is a good explanation for the expanding Christmas season. It also allows us a different way to see things so as to understand they are not bad, but good.

Anyone buying it?

DIdn’t think so. :(

Well Wundy has a good point. I lost my job, but I’ll be working full time for two weeks in a hotel for the holidays. Covering for some who have holidays, and I’m only too happy to have the opportunity. I don’t give a shit that I have to work on Christmas and New Year’s, at least I’ll have a little money, seeing as work insurance is taking forever, lol. even though everything I’ll make then will be deduced from further income haha

Although personally @wundayatta, the time to help the economy doesn’t solely rely on Christmas, and we’d be fucked if it did, technically. And as a point I always make, hope and charity for people should be ongoing, not just once a year, no?

Also, I happen to love Christmas decorations. I know nobody believes me, but it’s teh tr00thz

It’s weird, but some huge portion of consumer spending does happen at Christmas time. Do people save it all up until then? If we didn’t have Christmas, would it be spread out throughout the year? I think there are some natural reasons why it makes sense people would spend more in the winter. In summer, we’re too busy.

No, the economy doesn’t rely solely on Christmas, but it does goose the economy. It can make a big difference. It can make or break a retailer’s year.

I’m glad you have at least a couple of weeks of work for the season. That should put a little bit of coal in the fire place over the winter.

Advertising and consumerism is hardcore, and as you said, a part of America’s society, so if Christmas didn’t exist, I’m sure it would manage. Or that we’d find some other holiday to boom it at, if it didn’t. But I can’t argue that, big businesses need to stay open in order for things to go along as they do. (that is, from what I understand of how the economy works)
Problem is though, the economy sucks right now, and not everyone can go out and spend, whether it’s on Christmas or otherwise. People keep wanting us to buy and pay, but making good money for the normal, every day citizen is getting to be quite a bitch. :/ If everyone became poor and had absolutely no money left, based on your take on the true spirit of Christmas, would the holiday still prevail, do you think?

I think this is relevant.

Absolutely the holiday would prevail. It doesn’t matter where we are at. We still need to fight off depression and poverty. The only way to do that is bright lights, cheerful songs, and activities, including making things and giving things. You can buy stuff instead of making it, too. Making work and making stuff helps goose the economy, no matter how well or poorly it is doing at the time.

The words christmas & annoying simply don’t go together, much like republican & president.
Xmas is fucking awesome, end of.

I actually find it rather annoying, and it always makes me a little sad. I think Christmas is a joyful holiday, but there are many people around who have no one to spend it with.

Black Friday is two weeks away, don’t know why that would be too soon. Though, Black Friday in the first place is fucking ridiculous and the epitome of why our society is failing. As for Christmas, it’s never too early!!!!!!!!!!!