There's a war on Thanksgiving, not Christmas

Forget the war on Christmas. What about the war on Thanksgiving?

I like Christmas as much as the next person -- okay, I like presents and ‘A Christmas Story – but it seems like the holiday is thrust upon us earlier and earlier every year – so much so that Thanksgiving is barely acknowledged now.

What am I talking about?

I’m talking about stores putting up their Christmas displays before Halloween has even hit. I’m not joking. I saw two different stores – one a department store and the other a home repair shop – that had their Christmas trees up the week of Halloween.

Forget the fact that the stores essentially rushed my favorite holiday out of the spotlight faster than it deserved – but they just pretended that Thanksgiving doesn’t even exist and bypassed it. I guess there aren’t enough gift tie-ins to justify celebrating Thanksgiving.

Then, of course, there’s non-stop Christmas music – in early November.

I’m not going to even pretend I like Christmas music. That wouldn’t be honest. Still, hearing it 24 hours a day for two months straight on not one but two local radio stations is just too much. Seriously, it’s too much.

The truth of the matter is - -no matter how many different artists do covers on holiday songs – they’re still the same songs. They’re just dressed up in a slightly different package. It’s like pretending that holiday M&Ms are different than regular M&Ms because of the color.

I’ve already heard Mariah Carey spouting off about what she wants for Christmas at least 20 times this year – and it is mid-November folks. Of course, I’d rather hear that than that ridiculous Christmas shoes song -- which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Who brings their dying mother shoes when she can’t even get out of bed?

That brings us to the stores that are actually opening for early Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving night.

Now, don't get me wrong, I know a lot of people will be itching to get away from their families at this point, but doesn't it strike anyone as odd that we're essentially cancelling half of Thanksgiving just to get an early jump on shopping for Christmas?

I hear pundits constantly complaining about the war on Christmas. But, from my perspective, Christmas is thriving.

I get that people are upset about the commercialization of the holiday more than anything else – but I’m really sick of the over-saturation.

One of my cousins was lamenting the fact that Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday – and it’s completely ignored anymore. I get her point.

Let’s make a new rule shall we? No Christmas trees, lights or music (especially music) until the day after Thanksgiving.

I still think that’s too much Christmas “cheer” on the radio stations – but all compromises have to start some place.

What do you think? Did Christmas come too early this year?