Wednesday, December 3, 2008

We Need a Little Christmas



Is it just me or is Christmas shopping different this year? Yesterday, inspired by Debbie’s post about friends, I met an old friend for lunch and then cruised off to the mall for a few hours of Christmas shopping. Granted, this was on a Tuesday afternoon, but the mall was dead. Dead. I felt like I was in some alternative dimension alone in a giant mall. A couple of stores played Christmas carols and there was the ubiquitous Santa display at center mall (no kids or elves), but otherwise I saw little sign of festivity or activity, including only a handful of shoppers. One problem I think is the lack of Christmas spirit among retailers. Stores around here just don’t decorate up the way they used to, so no one is ‘window’ shopping either. I could tell them that if they would make a little more decorative fuss, if they would play lots of Christmas carols over the loudspeaker instead of rap or elevator music, and if the sales clerks would wear Santa hats, reindeer antlers, or at least say, “Merry Christmas”, they would sell more stuff! I mean, come on, who gets into the Christmas spirit by being asked, “will this be on your (insert store name) card?” When I ‘feel’ Christmassy, I tend to linger longer and shop more. Don’t you?

So, what’s your take? Is your shopping done? Started? How are you feeling about the slow disappearance of traditional Christmas and the sneaky efforts to de-Christianize the holidays? Or am I the only one who thinks Christmas has really changed in the last few years?

8 comments:

  1. Linda, I haven't even attempted shopping yet (other than a couple of DVD's I ordered online). I usually start the week after Thanksgiving, so I need to get moving! I'm kind of glad the mall won't be busy, but I hate the thought of it feeling so "blah" while I'm there.

    Our small town already has all the Christmas lights up downtown. I love that! It always gets me in the Christmas spirit.

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  2. I haven't been to the mall or even thought about Christmas shopping so I don't know how its doing.

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  3. You know, maybe that's it. Maybe I'm jumping the gun a little and things will pick up as we move away from Thanksgiving and closer to Christmas. I guess I was feeling a little 'humbug' this morning. lol

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  4. Linda, I think usually it is busy the week after. I think people took advantage of the good deals this past Friday. And now the retailers may see the slow season they were expecting.

    Ellen, I'm glad I'm not the only one who hasn't started! :)

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  5. I was at K-Mart this morning. This K-Mart is closing, and it's dead. They had some great sales, too, I probably finished half my shopping in one sweep.
    I never thought I'd say it, but I miss the hustle and bustle.

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  6. I don't frequent the stores as much as I used to. I do find the supermarkets busier than ever though.

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  7. Perhaps it's a sign of the economy because I was in a huge mall last week in Oklahoma City and saw so many stores closed and several with 'going out of business' signs, including teh Dillards! I'm sure that was only for that particular mall, which used to be the largest, busiest in the state, but still....

    One good thing though, regardless of our world's situation, we Christians are part of the 'unshakeable' kingdom. That's so reassuring to me in these tough times!

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  8. This post was at the beginning of December. I know it is only a little over half the way to Christmas now but I know what you mean about the Christmas spirit not being like it used to. Maybe it is the economy supposed to be down from past years. I know what it is for me (and I am NOT in that spirit this year) and it is that I'm not around Christmas music, I am not in the stores much because of no money and we are not decorating in our home this year.
    I have some gifts ready, the grand kids are two thirds done, but I don't even want to go look for other gifts. I am so sad that Christmas stuff has to come out even before Halloween, maybe that has disgusted me toward the 'commercialized' holiday. I actually thought it was just me and not the overall view of the holiday changing.
    I know the shepherds came and worshiped Jesus the night He was born, but where do we see that happening now? Do we worship Him during this season of the year?
    We need a little more Christ. The joy that wells up from within could be more Spirit than any the world has to give.
    Pam Williams
    cepjwms at yahoo dot com

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